Department for Transport

Southern: Compensation

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department's press release published on 13 October 2016, when he expects Delay Repay 15 to be introduced on Southern Rail.

Paul Maynard: We are currently in negotiation with GTR as to when Delay Repay 15 is to begin, and expect to be able to announce further details shortly.

High Speed 2 Railway Line: Buckinghamshire

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the reasons for HS2 Ltd commencing work in Stone Meadow Chalfont St Giles before obtaining the necessary permissions; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that such permissions always precede the work to which they relate taking place.

Andrew Jones: Permissions to undertake ground investigations at this site, which are necessary in order to determine the ground conditions for the design and construction of Chiltern Tunnel, were sought through negotiating a site access license for this activity. Regrettably, whereas the standard practice is to issue site access licenses to the relevant landowners and tenants of the land in question, in this instance the license and notices were only issued to the tenant of the land and not to the landowner, Chilterns District Council. HS2 Ltd have, therefore, removed their equipment from the site while a license is sought from the Council. Where access for surveys is required, HS2 Ltd will in all cases aim for early meaningful communication with landowners in order to establish accurate land ownership and tenancy details and aim to provide early notification of access requirements. HS2 Ltd are currently undertaking a review of all the ground investigation license areas to date against freeholders, tenants and occupiers to ensure that no other situations like this arise.

Driving Instruction

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 7 November 2016 to Question 51428, what the (a) wider projects and (b) costs per year since 2014 were of those projects into which driver education expenditure was subsumed.

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 7 November 2016 to Question 51428, what funding has been allocated to driver education by Highways England in each year since 2014.

Mr John Hayes: Since 2014, driver education expenditure has not been subsumed into wider projects. Communications expenditure since April 2014 on Driver Education that can be readily identified is shown in the table below:DatesPrimary campaign focusGeographical focusCost £kPaid-for channelsTarget audienceApril/ May 2014Red X compliance50 miles radius of J5-7 and 23-27£108KRegional radio and digital screensRegionalNov-14Red X compliance50 miles radius of/and journey origins to Dartford Crossing£70KRegional radio, washroom panels and digital/ social mediaRegional and national digitalFeb-15Red X complianceNational (England only)£350KNetwork Drive radio and wash-room panelsNationalJuly – August 2015Variable speed limitsNationalN/A Owned and earnedN/ANationalMarch – April 2016Awareness of new smart motorway sectionRegional – 50 mile radius of Junctions 28-31 M1£60KRegional radioRegionalApr-16Awareness of smart motorways – focus on signs and signalsRegional – 25 mile radius of Junctions 10a-13 M6 and 50 mile length of M6 beyond smart motorway section£84KRegional radio and digital screensRegional

Peckham Rye Station

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps have been taken to improve passenger safety at Peckham Rye Station in each of the last five years.

Paul Maynard: Southern Railway, part of the Govia Thameslink Rail (GTR) franchise, is the Duty Holder responsible for maintaining a safe environment for passengers at Peckham Rye station. The train operator and Network Rail have made a number of improvements to the station environment during the last five years, including longer waiting shelters to provide more space for passengers to get on and off trains, enhanced CCTV monitoring arrangements, and the introduction of “first to last” train staffing. In 2010, Peckham Rye station was awarded “secure station” accreditation under the Secure Stations scheme managed by the British Transport Police and the Department for Transport. The station has maintained this status in subsequent years.

Model Aircraft: EU Law

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that the activities of model aircraft clubs in the UK will not be compromised by steps proposed by the European Commission and European Safety Agency; and if he will make a statement.

Mr John Hayes: The Government recognises the long standing safety culture adopted by model aircraft clubs and associations, and will seek to ensure that any new proposals for further regulation or new Implementing Rules (Prototype Regulations) proposed by the European Commission and European Aviation Safety Agency are proportionate to the risk and do not undermine the good work that these organisations have been doing.

Taxis

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Government plans to respond formally to the Law Commission's report on taxi and private hire services.

Andrew Jones: The Government is considering the Law Commission’s comprehensive report on reforming taxi and private hire vehicle legislation. In line with the protocol that exists between the Government and the Law Commission, the Government will formally respond to the Law Commission and announce its intentions once this scrutiny is completed.

Railways: Compensation

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what the Rail Reparation Fund, announced by Network Rail in December 2015, was spent.

Paul Maynard: The Rail Reparation Fund has been spent by Network Rail on a number of initiatives to improve the rail infrastructure in the South East. To date the fund has been used to pay for dedicated track teams to provide rapid response during disruptions and preventative work treat sites vulnerable to hot weather speed restrictions; additional station staff to improve passenger information and assistance; and Land Sheriffs to deal with safety related incidents on the track and elsewhere.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Sikhs

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2016 to Question 50931, which UK Sikh organisations his Department invited to the Roundtable to engage with representatives from the Sikh community hosted by Lord Bourne on 12 September 2016.

Mr Marcus Jones: On 12 September, Lord Bourne hosted an informal roundtable with a number of Sikh groups and organisations. Those organisations invited were: The Network of Sikh Organisations; Sikh Council UK; Sikh Federation UK; Sikh Network UK; British Sikh Consultative Forum; City Sikhs; Sri Guru Singh Sabha (Southall Gurdwara); and the Nehemiah Foundation (interfaith).

Licensed Premises: Noise

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans the Government has to reform the regulations on noise and neighbourhood nuisance arising from pubs and clubs in or close to residential areas.

Gavin Barwell: National planning policy and guidance include strong protections against noise impacts, making it clear that the planning system should prevent new and existing development from being adversely affected by unacceptable levels of pollution. Further, national policy sets out that existing businesses wanting to develop in continuance of their business should not have unreasonable restrictions put on them because of changes in nearby land uses since they were established. The planning guidance supporting the Framework states that the potential effect of a new residential development being located close to an existing business giving rise to noise should be carefully considered. The guidance underlines planning’s contribution to avoiding future complaints and risks to local business like live music venues from resulting enforcement action. To help avoid such situations, appropriate mitigation should be considered, including optimising the sound insulation provided by the new development’s building envelope.On 6 April the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) (Amendment) Order 2016 made permanent the permitted development right for the change of use from office to residential. The permanent right includes a prior approval on noise, allowing consideration by local planning authorities of plans to mitigate the impacts of noise from commercial premises on the residents. In considering the prior approval, the local planning authorities will have regard to the relevant parts of the National Planning Policy Framework and supporting planning guidance, as would be the case under a planning application.

Housing: Construction

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the Government plans to raise the limit on the amount which local authorities can borrow in order to invest in building new homes.

Gavin Barwell: There are no plans to raise or remove the borrowing caps on local authorities' housing revenue accounts.Local Housing Authorities across England have £3.4 billion borrowing head room and almost £2.5 billion in housing revenue account reserves.

Housing: Construction

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government is taking to release more publicly-owned land to local authorities for the building of homes.

Gavin Barwell: The Department for Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Local Government: Pensions

Mr Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department has taken to encourage more local government pension schemes to be managed jointly.

Mr Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the administrative costs arising from the separate operation of 99 local government pension schemes.

Mr Marcus Jones: The most recent data on local government pension scheme costs are at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-government-pension-scheme-funds-for-england-2015-to-2016 The Project POOL report prepared for a number of local authorities by Hymans Robertson estimated in January 2016 that annual savings from pooling investments in the scheme could reach £200-300 million in ten years.

Planning: Older People

David Mackintosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential merits of incorporating criteria on age-friendly environments and infrastructure into planning regulations.

Gavin Barwell: The National Planning Policy Framework contains explicit requirements for councils in designing the built environment, including buildings and their surrounding spaces, to ensure that they can be accessed and used by everyone and to create a high quality built environment, with accessible local services that reflect the community’s needs and support its health, social and cultural well-being.To address the needs of our ageing population we have introduced two new access standards into the Building Regulations as ‘Optional Requirements’ – these broadly reflect the Lifetime Home Standard (accessible and adaptable housing, particularly suited to older people’s needs) and for the first time a national wheelchair housing standard. These are available for local authorities to require through their local planning policies, and we remain of the view that requirements based on local need is the best way to ensure older and disabled people have the right choice of housing in their local area.

Sleeping Rough

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 1 of Evaluating the Extent of Rough Sleeping: A new approach, published by his Department in December 2010, what assessment he has made of the effect of removing the requirement for a street count of rough sleepers to be conducted in areas where local authorities assess that there are more than 10 rough sleepers on local authority and other agency (a) evaluation of and (b) reduction in rough sleeping since 2010.

Mr Marcus Jones: It is vital that we are open about the scale of rough sleeping. We overhauled the methodology for counting rough sleepers in 2010, so that now every council has to report the scale of the problem in their area.In addition, the UK Statistics Authority report confirmed the designation of the statutory homelessness figures as National Statistics which fully comply with the Code of Practice.Of course, nobody should ever have to sleep rough, or become homeless in the first place. That is why we launched a £40 million Homelessness Prevention Programme, including a £10 million rough sleeping fund to help new rough sleepers, or people at imminent risk of sleeping rough, and £10 million of funding for Social Impact Bonds to provide targeted support for entrenched single homeless people.

Sleeping Rough

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 6 of Evaluating the Extent of Rough Sleeping: A new approach, published by his Department in December 2010, what assessment he has made of the effect of non-attendance by officials of his Department to oversee that counts are conducted in accordance with the agreed methodology on local authority and other agency (a) evaluation of and (b) reduction in rough sleeping since 2010.

Mr Marcus Jones: It is vital that we are frank and open about the scale of rough sleeping. We overhauled the methodology for counting rough sleepers in 2010, so that now every council has to report the scale of the problem in their area.The counts and estimates are evaluated in accordance with a well established methodology developed with the voluntary sector, and are independently verified by Homeless Link. In addition, the UK Statistics Authority report confirmed the designation of the statutory homelessness figures as National Statistics which fully comply with the Code of Practice.Of course, nobody should ever have to sleep rough, or become homeless in the first place. That is why we launched a £40 million Homelessness Prevention Programme, including a £10 million rough sleeping fund to help new rough sleepers, or people at imminent risk of sleeping rough, and £10 million of funding for Social Impact Bonds to provide targeted support for entrenched single homeless people.

Sleeping Rough

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 13 September 2016 to Question 44006, if his Department will collect constituency level data on the number of people rough sleeping.

Mr Marcus Jones: We have no plans to collect constituency level data on rough sleeping. Rough sleeping statistics are available at a local authority level, and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/homelessness-statistics#rough-sleepingIt is vital that we are frank and open about the scale of rough sleeping. We overhauled the methodology for counting rough sleepers in 2010, so that now every council has to report the scale of the problem in their area.Of course, nobody should ever have to sleep rough, or become homeless in the first place. That is why we launched a £40 million Homelessness Prevention Programme, including a £10 million rough sleeping fund to help new rough sleepers, or people at imminent risk of sleeping rough, and £10 million of funding for Social Impact Bonds to provide targeted support for entrenched single homeless people.

Combined Authorities

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether it is Government policy that legislation establishing a new Combined Authority should include the power of that Authority to assume additional responsibilities such as adult social care if all members of that Combined Authority agree.

Andrew Percy: It is for local authorities to develop their proposals for establishing a new combined authority – including the geographic area and the functions they wish the combined authority to have. The Secretary of State will consider any such proposals against the statutory requirements, and if he is minded to establish the combined authority, he will seek Parliament’s approval to make the necessary legislation.

Council Tax

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the maximum period of years is during which the Government plans to allow some council taxpayers in a new unitary council in England to pay lower levels of band D council tax than others.

Mr Marcus Jones: The Government would consider its approach to council tax equalisation on a case-by-case basis. The precise level of council tax of any new authority will be a matter for the local councils concerned and the Government does not necessarily set a maximum number of years by which equalisation must be achieved.

Public Sector: Redundancy Pay

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many public sector workers in local government posts received a redundancy package with a value of over £100,000 in each year since 2010.

Mr Marcus Jones: This information is not held centrally by DCLG. The Whole of Government accounts detail the cost of exit packages (compulsory redundancies/other agreed departures) for the specific financial years referenced. Local authorities are also required to provide information on the number of compulsory and agreed exit packages within their annual financial statement of accounts.

Local Plans

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many English councils do not have finalised local plans signed off by his Department.

Gavin Barwell: Plan-making has significantly improved under this Government and the Coalition. 72% of local planning authorities have an adopted Local Plan in place compared to 17% in 2010. 87% of authorities have published Local Plans as at 31 October 2016 compared to only 32% by May 2010.

Planning Permission

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2016 to Question 46903, on planning permission, how many local scrutiny committees combined authorities are expected to have; and who those committees report to.

Andrew Percy: The Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016 requires combined authorities to establish at least one overview and scrutiny committee and an audit committee. These committees report to the Combined Authority and, where there is one, the Mayor of the Combined Authority.

Planning Permission

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2016 to Question 46903, on planning permission, if the proposed increase in planning fees will provide extra funding to local authorities to implement the tightened Planning Guarantee.

Gavin Barwell: We consulted earlier this year on a proposal to increase national fees in line with inflation since the last fee increase in 2012 for those authorities that are performing well. We are currently considering the responses to the consultation and will publish our response in due course.Delays in determining planning application can increase costs for developers, reduce developers’ confidence to invest in sites and provide greater uncertainty for communities. Local planning authorities have a responsibility to determine applications on time and it is not unreasonable that an applicant should be due a refund if an authority has failed to determine their application five weeks after the statutory time period has ended. As I previously set out, there are no plans to provide access to funding to cover the costs authorities incur by their own poor performance.

Social Services: Finance

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what criteria are given to local authorities on the use of the better care fund.

Mr Marcus Jones: Local Authorities are required to develop Better Care Plans with Clinical Commissioning Group Partners. These are agreed by local Health and Wellbeing Boards and approved by NHS England. Plans must meet the national conditions set out in the Better Care Fund Policy Framework, published by Government; and take account of Planning Guidance issued jointly by NHS England and the Local Government Association.The Policy Framework for 2016/17 can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/490559/BCF_Policy_Framework_2016-17.pdfThe Planning Guidance can be found at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/annex4-bcf-planning-requirements-1617.pdf

Local Government: Pensions

Mr Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent estimates he has made of the variations in the performance of local government pension schemes for the beneficiaries of such schemes.

Mr Marcus Jones: Local government pension scheme benefits are guaranteed by statute and are not directly affected by the performance of individual funds within the scheme.The most recent data on the income and expenditure of individual funds, including investment income and investment management expenses, are at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-government-pension-scheme-funds-for-england-2015-to-2016

Housing

Mr Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, on which day in November 2016 he expects to publish the housing white paper.

Gavin Barwell: Building more homes is central to this Government’s vision of a country that works for everyone. We expect to publish a Housing White Paper later this year, setting out measures to help us deliver this ambition.

Planning Permission

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the proposed consultation timescale is for his Department's white paper on neighbourhood planning.

Gavin Barwell: Building more homes is central to this Government’s vision of a country that works for everyone. We expect to publish a Housing White Paper later this year, setting out measures to help us deliver this ambition.Two separate consultations relating to the Neighbourhood Planning Bill were launched on 7th September; one on neighbourhood planning, the other on planning conditions. Both have now closed and responses are being considered carefully.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Staff

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many of his Department's staff are based in the Sheffield office at St Paul's Place; and what plans he has for the future of those jobs.

Joseph Johnson: Holding answer received on 05 September 2016



As of 1 November 2016, there are 21 members of staff based in the Sheffield office at St Paul’s Place. Following the recent Machinery of Government changes, BEIS is considering how to best align the reform agendas of its predecessor departments.

Manufacturing Industries

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will estimate (a) the value to the economy of the carbon fibre industry and (b) how many people the carbon fibre industry employs; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Nick Hurd: Government statistics are not collected at a sufficiently detailed level to estimate the value to the economy of specific materials such as carbon fibre. However the UK composites product market, which includes carbon fibre, glass and aramid reinforced plastics, is estimated to be worth £2.3bn currently, and is seeing significant growth.[i] The UK has considerable strengths already in the development of composite materials arising from their use in our aerospace industry as well as Formula 1, and we have world-class research and development facilities at centres such as the National Composites Centre (part of our High Value Manufacturing Catapult). [i] UKTI commissioned study on fibre-reinforced polymer composite materials, National Composites Centre

Wind Power

Sir Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of high-altitude kites as a source of wind energy.

Jesse Norman: Holding answer received on 08 November 2016



 The Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of high altitude kites as a source of wind energy. This was performed in support of our Energy Entrepreneur Fund innovation project by Kite Power Systems Ltd. The assessment showed that high altitude kites could offer cost advantages over other wind energy solutions although they are at an early stage of development.

Company Cars: Taxation

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the effect on the (a) demand for UK manufactured cars and (b) car industry of the proposals relating to the taxation on company cars contained in the HM Revenue and Customs consultation on salary sacrifice for the provision of benefits in kind.

Mr Nick Hurd: My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on a number of issues. As alluded to in the question, tax policy is the responsibility of my rt. hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer and Ministers at Her Majesty’s Treasury.

UK Trade with EU

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the oral statement of 31 October 2016, on Nissan: Sunderland, Official Report, column 679, what the policy of the Government is on a sector-by-sector arrangement for future access to the single market after the UK leaves the EU.

Margot James: The Department is currently working closely with the Department for Exiting the European Union to understand the impacts that withdrawal from the EU will have on businesses, consumers and other economic actors. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has said we will work hard to get the best deal for Britain.

Post Offices

Mr Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his policy to extend post offices in the existing Post Office network.

Margot James: There are over 11,600 post office branches in the UK, the largest retail network in the country. Between 2010 and 2018, Government will have invested nearly £2 billion to modernise and sustain the Post Office. This has led to the most stable network for decades, but importantly our transformation of the network has delivered an extra 200,000 opening hours a week across the country and more than 4,100 branches are open on Sundays. On 8 November the Government launched a public consultation on the network to understand what customers and small businesses expect from branches, and this will inform the government’s next state aid application for funding the Post Office.

Companies: Staff

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2016 to Question 47384, on companies: costs, if he will produce an evaluation of the combined effect of the package of measures on all categories of workers in the UK.

Margot James: In its remit to the Low Pay Commission the Government asks it to monitor and evaluate the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage.On the Apprenticeship Levy, HMRC have previously published a Tax Impact note, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeship-levy/apprenticeship-levyAn evaluation report on automatic enrolment was published in November 2015 and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/477176/rr909-automatic-enrolment-evaluation-2015.pdfA review of automatic enrolment will take place in 2017. The Department for Work and Pensions is currently working with interested stakeholders to determine the scope of this, which will be announced before the end of this calendar year.

Postal Services: Universal Service Obligation

Mr Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government has requested that any local authorities exempt Royal Mail from local regulations under its universal service obligation duties.

Mr Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his estimate is of the value of exemptions from local regulation, given to Royal Mail by local authorities, under its universal obligation, prior to its privatisation.

Margot James: The Department does not hold this information.

Members: Correspondence

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield of 14 September 2016 on smart meters and associated health concerns.

Jesse Norman: The Department does not have a record of receiving this letter from the Honourable Member. My noble Friend the Minister of State for Energy and Intellectual Property, who is responsible for the roll-out of smart meters, would be pleased to provide a response to him upon receipt of a copy of the correspondence.

Paraffin: Prices

Richard  Arkless: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of reasons for the disparity between the trade price of kerosene and that offered to individual consumers; what role his Department plays in regulating and monitoring this disparity; and if he will make a statement.

Jesse Norman: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

British Home Stores: Insolvency

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2016 to Question 51499, whether he intends to meet with (a) Sir Philip Green or (b) any employees of British Home Stores on that company's move into administration.

Margot James: Neither my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State nor I intend to meet with Sir Philip Green or the employees at this stage. The Insolvency Service is conducting an investigation into the conduct of those controlling BHS and this will cover the reasons for the administration. As part of that investigation the Insolvency Service may, if appropriate, meet with Sir Philip Green or any other relevant party, including current and former employees.

British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government has made direct payments to the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme under the guarantee arrangements.

Jesse Norman: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much the Government has received from the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme since 1994.

Jesse Norman: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Innovation

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of government funding in promoting innovation through (a) Research Councils, (b) Innovate UK, (c) Catapult and (d) other bodies.

Joseph Johnson: The Research Councils’ collective ambition is to ensure the UK remains the best place in the world to do research, innovate and grow businesses for the benefit of society and the economy. Each Research Council publishes an annual impact report. The Research Excellence Framework is a periodic, selective assessment of the quality and impact of research produced by UK universities derived from a range of funding sources including Research Councils, Government bodies, industry and charities. It assesses both the excellence of the research and of the impact that excellent research has had on the economy and society. In 2014, 44% of submitted impacts were judged outstanding (4*) and a further 40% judged very considerable (3*). Innovate UK has evaluated the impact of its interventions showing that on average, for every £1 it has invested, there is a return of between £6.40 and £7.30 in GVA to the economy. It has supported innovation in 7,600 organisations, creating around 55,000 new jobs. Innovate UK grant support is shown to substantially increase UK firms’ innovation performance, with significant impacts noted for SMEs (with 10 to 250 employees) and large firms (with more than 250 employees). As many Catapults are still in the earlier stages of implementation, it is too early to fully assess the performance of the Catapult network. Key performance indicators are in place to help assess Catapult performance. Innovate UK will publish evaluation frameworks for Catapult centres this financial year.

Electrical Safety

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2016 to Question 49797, on schools: electrical safety, if he will (a) issue guidance on and (b) bring forward proposals for regulation of the use of socket covers on BS1363 sockets; and if he will make a statement.

Margot James: Under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, all products placed on the UK market must be safe and any products that do not comply with those Regulations can already be removed from sale by Trading Standards. We are not aware of any reports of injuries or death in the UK as a result of the use of socket covers and we have no plans to issue any guidance promoting or discouraging their use or to bring forward further regulation in this area.

Overseas Companies: Turkey

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what reports he has received or requested on child refugees working in UK registered companies' factories in Turkey.

Margot James: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has not received or requested any such reports. UK listed companies are required to publish an annual strategic report that must – to the extent necessary for an understanding of the development, performance or position of the company’s business – include human rights issues. For other UK registered companies, there is no legal obligation to publish such reports. The Modern Slavery Act 2015 includes a provision that requires all businesses operating in the UK, with an annual turnover of more than £36 million, to produce a slavery and human trafficking statement that sets out the steps they have taken during the financial year to ensure that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in any of its supply chains or its own business. While this provision does not explicitly oblige businesses to report on child refugees, guidance accompanying the provision does make several references to children’s rights. This policy and legislation is the responsibility of my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department.

Energy: Meters

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to enable smart meters to be read by all energy suppliers and not exclusively by the company installing the smart meter; and if he will make a statement.

Jesse Norman: Energy suppliers will be able to read meters (‘SMETS2’ meters) installed onto the new smart metering national data and communications infrastructure, when a consumer switches supplier. This is up and running in the majority of the country and will be available across the country in the next few weeks. Work by both the Data and Communications Company and SMETS1 communications service providers is underway on ways to make SMETS1 meters interoperable. Once this is complete, consumers with SMETS1 meters will also be able to retain smart services on switching energy supplier.

Higher Education: Research

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2016 to Question 48877, whether higher education institutions in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK will be able to continue to apply for (i) EU research funding and (ii) the Horizon 2020 project after the UK leaves the EU; and whether HM Treasury plans to continue to underwrite the payment of such awards.

Joseph Johnson: Until our departure from the EU, we remain a fully paid up Member State, with all the rights and obligations that entails. All UK-based researchers, wherever they are located within the UK, can continue to apply for competitive EU research funding, such as the Horizon 2020 programme, while we remain a member of the EU. We will work with the European Commission to ensure payment when funds are awarded. The Treasury will underwrite the payment for such awards, even when specific projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU. Access to apply for Horizon 2020 after we leave the EU will be a matter for the negotiations that will follow the triggering of Article 50.

Public Sector: Redundancy Pay

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many public sector workers in further and higher education government posts received a redundancy package with a value of over £100,000 in each year since 2010.

Margot James: This information is not fully available due to HR system and service supplier changes since 2010.There were three Department for Business, Innovation and Skills civil servants in higher and further education posts that received redundancy packages with a value in excess of £100,000 in 2011/12. There have been no other redundancy packages of this value since 2014 in these business areas.

Consumers

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy of 8 November 2016, what assessment he has made of which consumer standards will be considered by the Government to be necessary after the UK leaves the EU.

Margot James: The Great Repeal Bill will remove from the statute book the European Communities Act. As we repeal the European Communities Act, we will convert the body of existing EU law into British law. When the Great Repeal Bill is given Royal Assent, Parliament will be free – subject to international agreements and treaties with other countries and the EU on matters such as trade – to amend, repeal and improve any law it chooses. The Government will engage with business and other stakeholders for their views as part of this process.

Post Offices: Christchurch

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to require the Post Office to reinstate post office services in Christchurch town centre.

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the maximum period is that a Post Office can be closed temporarily without the need for any pubic consultation.

Margot James: The Government requires Post Office to meet national access criteria to ensure proximity to customers. Within that criteria, the provision and location of post offices is the operational responsibility of Post Office Limited. There are two other Post Office branches located 1 mile away (Purewell Cross Post Office and Stourvale Post Office) from which customers can access a wide range of services until a suitable solution is found. Both branches offer extended opening hours with the Stourvale branch being open from 6am to 11pm, 7 days a week. The Post Office regrets instances where a post office is forced to close temporarily, however a temporary closure is normally the result of a situation beyond the control of the Post Office. There is no maximum time set to resolve a temporary closure and the time this can take will vary depending on the individual local circumstances in each case. The Post Office continues investigate and explore solutions which will enable it to restore the provision of services to the Christchurch community as soon as possible.

Cadbury: Mondelez International

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he was made aware of the further takeover of the Cadbury's biscuit licence by Mondelez, and if he has met with any of the companies involved.

Margot James: This is a commercial matter for the parties concerned. I have had no such meetings.

Burton's Foods

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will meet members of the trade unions which represent workers in the Burton's factories.

Margot James: To my knowledge, my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State has received no representations from trade unions which represent workers in the Burton’s factories.

Companies Investigations Branch

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many (a) investigations were carried out, (b) fines were issued and (c) prosecutions were made by the Companies Investigation Branch in each year since 2009-10; and how many such investigations, fines and prosecutions concerned companies operating in the secondary ticketing industry in each such year.

Margot James: The Companies Investigation Branch (CIB) became part of the Insolvency Service in 2006 and the work formerly undertaken by CIB is now dealt with by the Insolvency Service Company Investigations Live teams. While company investigations are focused on preventing corporate abuse by placing companies into liquidation rather than identifying criminal misconduct, if any evidence of criminal behaviour is found it may result in a prosecution.The Insolvency Service does not maintain statistics on the number of prosecutions and fines arising specifically from the work of Company Investigations Live teams, nor are any statistics kept regarding companies operating in the secondary ticketing industry. However, there have been a total of 15 investigations in the relevant period with a reference to ‘Ticketing’, as detailed below. None of these investigations led to a criminal prosecution or fine. Live company investigations completed (ticketing cases)2009/10269 (5)2010/11267 (5)2011/12150 (3)2012/13162 (0)2013/14151 (0)2014/15153 (2)2015/16151 (0)1.4.16 - 31.10.16)89 (0)

Industry

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to consult with representatives of the higher education sector as part of his Department's preparations for the development and delivery of its industrial strategy.

Mr Nick Hurd: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Industry

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential role of the part-time higher education sector in delivering his Department's industrial strategy.

Mr Nick Hurd: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Research: Finance

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the proportion of gross domestic product that is spent on science and research; and what assessment he has made of the need to change the level of such funding after the UK leaves the EU.

Joseph Johnson: Total research and development expenditure in the UK in 2014 represented 1.67% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), unchanged from 2013. Science and research are at the heart of this Government’s long term economic plan and our ongoing commitment to our science and research base remains steadfast as we secure the best possible outcome for UK science and research as we exit the EU.

Service Industries and Manufacturing Industries

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the sectoral balance of business and industry between service and manufacturing; and what assessment he has made of whether that balance should change after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr Nick Hurd: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Giulio Regeni

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2016 to Question 47305, what recent discussions he has had with the Italian and Egyptian authorities on the murder of Giulio Regeni; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: In April 2016, in response to a public petition the Foreign and Commonwealth Office outlined the steps taken to encourage a full investigation into Giulio Regeni’s death. The response can be found at: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/120832. Since then, we have continued to offer our support to Italy and urge the Egyptian government to cooperate fully with the Italian investigators to bring Mr Regeni’s killers to justice as soon as possible. I continue to raise Mr Regeni's case with the Egyptian Ambassador to London, as do senior UK officials with their Egyptian counterparts. Her Majesty’s Ambassadors to Cairo and Rome have raised Mr Regeni’s case with the Egyptian and Italian authorities. The Prime Minister also discussed Mr Regeni’s case with Prime Minister Renzi in July.

Pakistan: Human Rights and Rule of Law

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2016 to Question HL 498, what recent representations his Department has made to the government of Pakistan on that country upholding its human rights obligations and the rule of law.

Alok Sharma: I remain concerned about reports of human rights abuses in Pakistan. Our concerns are reflected in the latest update to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office annual human rights report. We regularly raise these concerns with the Government of Pakistan at a senior level and press Pakistan to adhere in full to its human rights commitments and uphold the rule of law. During his visit to Pakistan in March, the former Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Right Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), raised the importance we attach to safeguarding the rights of all Pakistani citizens regardless of ethnicity, faith or gender. We will continue to urge Pakistan to honour in practice all its human rights obligations and respect the rule of law.

Andargachew Tsege

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 25 October 2016 to Question 50279, whether the UK Ambassador to Ethiopia has visited Mr Tsege since the date of that Answer.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The British Ambassador to Ethiopia visited Mr Tsege on 11 November.

Pakistan: Human Rights and Legal Profession

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his counterparts in Pakistan on protection for lawyers and human rights activists in that country.

Alok Sharma: I am concerned about attacks against human rights activists and lawyers in Pakistan. The terrorist attack on lawyers at a hospital in Quetta in August was deplorable. I condemned this senseless act of violence against those working to defend the rights of others and offered condolences to those affected by it.The Government of Pakistan continues to take steps to improve security and tackle terrorist and extremist elements through its National Action Plan. Security in Pakistan has improved since 2014. The UK is committed to supporting Pakistan in addressing the shared threat from terrorism and extremism. We are partnering with Pakistan to increase its capacity to confront the terrorist threat, reform the judiciary so those responsible for attacks can be held accountable by civilian courts, and address the root causes of extremism and terrorism.We regularly raise the importance we attach to protecting all human rights, including the freedom of expression, with the Pakistani Government at a senior level. In April, the previous Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Right Hon Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), pressed Sartaj Aziz, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, to guarantee the rights of all Pakistan's citizens. We will continue to urge Pakistan to honour in practice all its human rights obligations.

Pakistan: Human Rights

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of progress by the government of Pakistan in implementing recommendations made in the Universal Periodic Review of that country on the protection of the right to life and freedom of expression.

Alok Sharma: I remain concerned about reports of human rights abuses in Pakistan. We regularly raise our concerns, including those reflected in the Universal Periodic Review's recommendations for Pakistan, with the Government of Pakistan at a senior level.During his visit to Pakistan in March, the former Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Right Hon Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), raised the importance we attach to safeguarding the rights of all Pakistani citizens regardless of ethnicity, faith or gender. We will continue to urge Pakistan to adhere to its human rights obligations and uphold the rule of law.

Andargachew Tsege

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has been advised by the Ethiopian authorities on how many times Mr Andargachew Tsege has had access to a telephone to contact his family in London during the past two and a half years.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: It is our understanding that Mr Tsege has had access to a telephone but we do not have any more details.

Andargachew Tsege

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will respond to the recent concerns that Mr Andy Tsege's life may be in danger; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Ambassador visited Mr Tsege on 11 November and heard from him directly about recent events where she was reassured of his welfare. We have informed his family of our visit and passed on messages. We remain in close contact with them and will continue to support them.

Turkey: Human Rights

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the human rights situation in Turkey since the attempted military coup on 15 July 2016.

Sir Alan Duncan: I refer the Hon. Member to my answer to written question 43847.

Turkey: Arrests

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made representations to his Turkish counterpart on the arrest of the joint leaders of Turkey's pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic party in Turkey, Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ.

Sir Alan Duncan: ​We continue to follow developments in Turkey closely and underline the importance of the rule of law and the protection of freedom of expression. I raised these issues most recently with Turkey's Minister for Europe, Omer Celik, in a phone call on 7 November, and in a meeting with Turkey's Ambassador on 10 November.

Turkey: Civil Liberties

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the level of political freedom in Turkey since the detention of Peoples' Democratic Party parliamentarians in Ankara on 4 November 2016.

Sir Alan Duncan: We continue to follow developments in Turkey closely and underline the importance of the rule of law and the protection of freedom of expression. I raised these issues most recently with Turkey's Minister for Europe, Omer Celik, in a phone call on 7 November, and in a meeting with Turkey's Ambassador on 10 November.

Chevening Scholarships Programme

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to review the policy of Chevening scholarships not being awarded within the EU after the vote for the UK to leave the EU.

Alok Sharma: Chevening Scholarships are currently offered in over 150 countries and territories and offer a unique opportunity for future leaders to study in UK institutions, experience our culture and build lasting relationships with the UK.The majority of funding for Chevening is Official Development Assistance (ODA), which can only be allocated to students from ODA eligible countries. They are expected to return and contribute to the development of their host countries. Chevening Scholarships are not currently awarded to citizens of the UK or other EU countries or the United States.We have no current plans to change this policy, but keep it under regular review and are committed to maintaining and developing relationships with the 46,500 alumni around the world - including in the EU.

Turkey: Arrests

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made representations to his Turkish counterpart on the arrests of Idris Baluken, Ferhat Encu, Gulser Yildirim, Leyla Birlik, Nursel Aydogan, Selma Irmak and Abdullah Zeydan of Turkey's pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic party in Turkey.

Sir Alan Duncan: I refer the Hon. Member to my written answer to written question 51984.

Colombia: Trade Unions

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Colombian authorities on the recent attempted murder of Esneider Gonzalez, a member of the Colombian agricultural workers' union FENSUAGRO.

Sir Alan Duncan: Our Embassy in Bogota is aware of the recent attempted murder of Mr Esneider Gonzalez. At UK instigation, we expect it to be raised in future correspondence between the local EU Human Rights Working Group and the Colombian Attorney General. The Group has already raised similar cases of attacks against human rights defenders and trade unionists, including other FENSUAGRO members.

Burma: Human Rights

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Burma.

Alok Sharma: Burma has made considerable strides forward on human rights since State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi came to power in April 2016. The new Burmese Government has released over 300 political prisoners, begun to abolish draconian laws, initiated a peace process to resolve the long-running internal conflict, and established a new Rakhine Advisory Commission led by Kofi Annan. Despite this progress, we continue to have a number of concerns about human rights. We are concerned by reports of violations in Northern Shan and Kachin involving civilian casualties and the restriction of humanitarian access to internally displaced people. We are also concerned by the ongoing persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine State and allegations of human rights abuses in the security response to the 9 October attacks on Border Guard Police posts in northern Rakhine. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my noble Friend, the Rt Hon Baroness Anelay of St Johns DBE, visited Burma from 9-12 November specifically to address issues of human rights, with a focus on the prevention of sexual violence in conflict.

Andargachew Tsege

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 25 October 2016 to Question 50279, whether his evidential basis for the assessment of Mr Tsege as not being ill-treated relates to the meeting of 2 August 2016 and not later.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Northern Ireland Office

Belfast Agreement: Bill of Rights

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on the proposal for a British Bill of Rights and its potential implications for the Good Friday Agreement.

James Brokenshire: I am aware of the importance of human rights in the Belfast Agreement and the Government remains committed to that Agreement.My officials continue to work closely with colleagues in the Ministry of Justice on these issues and we will engage fully with the devolved administrations in advance of any reforms.

Politics and Government: Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with (a) the government of the Republic of Ireland and (b) Northern Irish political parties since the All Island Civic Dialogue meeting in Dublin on 2 November 2016 on the outcomes of that meeting.

James Brokenshire: I have met and will continue to meet both the Northern Ireland political parties and counterparts in the Irish Government to discuss a range of issues related to EU Exit.Since 2 November, I have spoken to the First and deputy First Ministers of Northern Ireland, and with the Tánaiste, Frances Fitzgerald.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Department for Exiting the European Union: Trade Unions

Christian Matheson: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what meetings he has had with trades unions to discuss the UK leaving the EU since his Department was established.

Mr Robin Walker: One of the Secretary of State’s first meetings was with the General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress. We continue to engage with as many other firms, organisations and bodies, including with trade unions. Details of Ministers’ meetings will be published in the usual way.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Telephone Services

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many calls the hotline established to give the devolved administrations access to his Department has received; and what the (a) longest, (b) shortest and (c) average response time was to those calls.

Mr David Jones: The Prime Minister has made clear her intention to engage with the devolved administrations, and the Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) has been established to provide a forum for the discussion of issues relating to exiting the European Union. The Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union chaired the Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) on 9th November, and spoke with each of the devolved administrations before this meeting. We will not comment on the content of private Ministerial discussions.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Legal Costs

Mr David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what costs (a) have been incurred and (b) are expected in (i) R (Miller) v Secretary of State for Exiting the EU and (ii) the appeal to the Supreme Court against the judgment reached in that case.

Mr Robin Walker: As the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union said in his statement to the House on 7 November 2016, all those figures will be published in due course. We do not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.

Higher Education: Scotland

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2016 to Question 51228, on higher education: Scotland, when the Department's quarterly transparency returns and details of meetings held since the Department's formation will be published.

Mr David Jones: Details of Ministers' meetings will be published on a quarterly basis as is standard practice.

European Investment Bank

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what recent meetings his Department has had with representatives of the European Investment Bank.

Mr Robin Walker: The Prime Minister has been clear we will not give a running commentary on preparations for Brexit negotiations. We will ensure that we engage closely with all relevant interlocutors.

Department for International Development

Department for International Development: Non-governmental Organisations

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what transitional support is in place for non-government organisations reaching the end of a Programme Partnership Arrangement with her Department.

Rory Stewart: In June 2015 all Programme Partnership Arrangement (PPA) partners were given 18 months’ notice of the end of the programme. The final nine months of that period were specifically designed to enable all organisations to consolidate gains from Programme Partnership Arrangement funded activities and consider transition.DFID officials are working with Bond, to provide advice and support for organisations to provide transition support where required.

Developing Countries: HIV Infection

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the link between gender-based violence and the increased risk of HIV infection in women overseas; and what steps her Department plans to take to address that issue.

Priti Patel: Global progress in reducing new HIV infections in women and girls remains a priority for the UK. Women and girls subjected to intimate partner violence can be up to 1.5 times more likely to acquire HIV. DFID has made significant progress in scaling up efforts to address violence against women and girls and preventing sexual violence in conflict, nearly doubling our programming from 64 programmes in 2012 to 127 in 2016. We will continue this crucial work.

Overseas Aid

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of UK aid was delivered by the aid agencies of other countries in (a) the most recent period for which figures are available and (b) each of the last five years.

Rory Stewart: The table below shows the percentage of total UK Official Development Assistance delivered by the aid agencies of other countries for each of the past five years. YearProportion of Total UK ODA20100.7%20110.6%20121.4%20131.3%20141.3%

Department for International Development: Procurement

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of her Department's budget was disbursed through a competitive tender process in 2013-14.

Rory Stewart: 10.3% of the Department budget in 2013-14 was disbursed through an approved public Procurement process.

Department for International Development: Procurement

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of her Department's budget was disbursed through a competitive tender process in 2014-15.

Rory Stewart: 12.7% of the Department budget in 2014-15 was disbursed through an approved public Procurement process.

Department for International Development: Procurement

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of her Department's budget was disbursed through a competitive tender process in 2015-16.

Rory Stewart: 13.5% of the Department budget in 2015-16 was disbursed through an approved public Procurement process.

Department for International Development: Procurement

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which organisations were the top 10 recipients of her Department's contractual funds in 2013-14.

Rory Stewart: In 2013-14, the top 10 recipients of the Departments contractual funds were :Crown Agents, PWC, Adam Smith International, Mott MacDonald, DAI Europe, Palladium, ABT Associates, Maxwell Stamp, Coffey International and Health Partners International.

Department for International Development: Procurement

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which organisations were the top 10 recipients of her Department's contractual funds in 2015-16.

Rory Stewart: In 2015-16, the top 10 recipients of the Departments contractual funds were :Crown Agents, PWC, Adam Smith International, Mott MacDonald, Palladium, DAI Europe, Voluntary Services Overseas, IMA WorldHealth, Oxford Policy Management and KPMG LLP

Overseas Aid

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether she plans to change her Department's policy on aid conditionally.

Rory Stewart: Our existing policy on aid conditionality is flexible and robust.DFID will continue to use appropriate forms of conditionality to achieve different ends, including: to promote core UK values, such as on human rights; to safeguard taxpayer’s money; and to focus delivery on the results and objectives we want to achieve in the fight against extreme poverty.

Overseas Aid

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what changes she has made to her Department's policy on international development funding since she has become Secretary of State.

Rory Stewart: The Secretary of State will ensure the Department continues to deliver the Government’s manifesto commitments and works to make aid more cost-effective, transparent, and accountable to the poorest people in the world and the taxpayers who fund it. We will publish the outcomes of reviews of our multilateral and bilateral development programmes shortly, which, alongside the research and civil society reviews (already published), will help set the future direction for the Department.

Overseas Aid

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether she plans to transfer part of her Department's budget towards programmes which do not meet ODA criteria.

Rory Stewart: All transfers planned for 16/17 will be for ODA eligible activity, with the exception of £491m of non-ODA Conflict, Security and Stability Fund (CSSF) budget which was allocated to DFID’s baseline at Spending Review 2015.

Overseas Aid

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of UK aid is delivered by third parties in each recipient country.

Rory Stewart: The UK spends aid through a range of delivery partners. Delivery partners are selected based on a value for money assessment of their capacity to deliver our objectives in the country we are working in.Overall, for 2014, approximately 60% of total UK aid was delivered through multilateral organisations, 13% through non-governmental organisations, with the remainder through other partners including private sector suppliers, partner governments and research institutes.Full details of 2015 spend in-country by delivery partners will be published in Statistics on International Development on 17th November.

Haiti: Hurricanes and Tornadoes

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assistance her Department has given to Haiti to assist with the aftermath of the hurricane of October 2016.

Rory Stewart: DFID is providing £8m of funding to Haiti following Hurricane Matthew. This is enabling the UN, Red Cross and NGOs to meet immediate humanitarian needs. Three consignments of DFID relief items have been distributed in Haiti, providing protection, shelter and hygiene support. DFID sent humanitarian experts to the region in advance of Hurricane Matthew in order to ensure a swift response, and there remains a team of DFID humanitarian experts in Haiti, working with our partners and other donors to address immediate need, and assess Haiti’s longer-term recovery needs. The latest UK support is in addition to ongoing work DFID has been undertaking in Haiti to improve the country’s preparedness for natural disasters.

Palestinians

Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to ensure that aid provided to the Palestinian Authority does not fund radicalisation.

Rory Stewart: UK funding has helped build Palestinian institutions and promote economic growth so that any future Palestinian state will be a prosperous and effective partner for peace. DFID’s previous financial assistance to the PA was governed by a Memorandum of Understanding which reaffirms the PA’s commitment to non-violence and a negotiated solution to the conflict. As the Development Secretary has recently taken up her position, she is undertaking a full examination of DFID’s programme in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including our support to the PA.

British Overseas Territories: Overseas Aid

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make it her policy to adjust the eligibility requirements of overseas aid funding so that the Overseas Territories are eligible for UK aid funding once the UK has left the EU.

Rory Stewart: The eligibility of the UK’s Overseas Territories to receive UK aid is not linked to the UK's EU membership and is unaffected by the UK's decision to leave the EU. Eligibility for UK aid funding is defined in the International Development Act 2002 and is dependent on a recipient country or territory being on the list of recipients of official development assistance (ODA) held by the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Details of the list are available on the DAC website: http://www.oecd.org/dac/stats/documentupload/DAC%20List%20of%20ODA%20Recipients%202014%20final.pdf

Migrant Camps

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that infants can feed in a safe and clean environment in refugee camps.

Rory Stewart: My Department provides funding to humanitarian organisations that work to promote safe and healthy environments for people in refugee camps across the world. Camps are not the preferred option for refugees and most refugees live outside of camps. DFID supports organisations that work specially with mothers and infants in camp situations including UNICEF, Save the Children and UNHCR.

Department for Education

Free Schools

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what free school project applications have been withdrawn or cancelled since 2010; and what costs were incurred by the applicant on (a) property and planning, (b) technical advice and consultancy and (c) legal fees before withdrawal or cancellation.

Edward Timpson: There have been 39 schools cancelled or withdrawn since 2010. The Department does not collect information about the costs incurred by applicants that have been withdrawn or cancelled.   Project NameProject StatusSchool PhaseLocal AuthorityRivendale free schoolWithdrawnPrimaryHammersmith and FulhamThe Rotherham central free schoolCancelledSecondaryRotherhamNewham Free AcademyCancelledSecondaryNewhamChorley career and sixth form academyWithdrawnSecondaryLancashireThe Priory Rural Skills and Equestrian Free SchoolWithdrawnSecondaryLincolnshireThe Northern Lights Primary SchoolCancelledPrimaryCalderdaleThe Bristol primary schoolCancelledPrimaryBristol City ofHarris free school TottenhamWithdrawnAll-ThroughHaringeyBarnfield fernwood free schoolWithdrawnPrimaryCentral BedfordshireRainbow schools NottinghamCancelledPrimaryNottinghamNewark School of Enterprise (formerly Exemplar Newark Business Academy)CancelledSecondaryNottinghamshireWarrington Montessori schoolCancelledPrimaryCheshire West and ChesterThe Leeds retail and financial services academyCancelledSecondaryLeedsThe Free School LeedsWithdrawnPrimaryLeedsKhalsa Engineering AcademyWithdrawnPrimaryBradfordTLG BradfordWithdrawnSecondaryBradfordGateway AcademyWithdrawnSecondaryBrentThe advance school NorburyWithdrawnPrimaryCroydonHarperbury Free SchoolCancelledSecondaryHertfordshireOn track ChilternWithdrawnSecondaryBedfordPhoenix free school of OldhamCancelledSecondaryOldhamOasis community school WalthamstowCancelledSecondaryWaltham ForestMarco Polo academyCancelledPrimaryBarnetGladstone SchoolCancelledSecondaryBrentThe inspirar bilingual academyWithdrawnPrimaryLincolnshireHarris Primary Free School NunheadWithdrawnPrimarySouthwarkThe Ashworth Preparatory SchoolWithdrawnPrimaryNorthamptonshireHarris Primary Free School Tottenham HaleWithdrawnPrimaryHaringeyCrystal Palace Primary SchoolWithdrawnPrimaryCroydonElements Primary SchoolWithdrawnPrimaryBarnsleyHackney Wick AcademyCancelledSecondaryHackneyLuton Girls' AcademyCancelledSecondaryLutonPowerlist Post 16 Leadership CollegeWithdrawn16-19City of LondonSt Mary's CE Primary SchoolCancelledPrimaryHertfordshireSTEM Academy Croydon GatewayWithdrawn16-19CroydonTrinity High SchoolWithdrawnSecondaryMertonBBG Parents Alliance (Birkenshaw, Birstall and Gomersal)CancelledSecondaryKirkleesHarris/AESE Free School TottenhamCancelledAll-ThroughHaringeyBury st Edmunds: Middle PhaseCancelledSecondarySuffolk

Grammar Schools

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department made of the effect of selective education on (a) pupils with special educational needs and disabilities and (b) parental choice while drafting the Schools that work for everyone consultation document which was published on 12 September 2016.

Nick Gibb: The Department has given, and will continue to give, due regard to assessing the impact, both in the consultation document, the study of responses to the consultation and throughout any development of policy areas, following the consultation period. This Government is committed to ensuring all children, including those with SEND, have the opportunity to achieve their potential and make a successful transition to adult life. Within our new proposals, we have been clear that we expect selective schools to support non-selective schools, looking to them to be engines of academic and social achievement for all pupils, whatever their background, wherever they are from and whatever their ability. Such proposals are designed to promote parental choice by increasing the number of good school places with SEND in non-selective schools.

Education: Assessments

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 2 November 2016 to Question 49004, what the average five A* to C percentage pass rate was for (a) low, (b) middle and (c) high attainers in (i) selective, (ii) partially selective and (iii) comprehensive local education authority areas using the 2014-15 final data.

Nick Gibb: I refer the honourable member to question 49004 which outlines the information required.

Social Services: Children

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her Department's policy is on the delivery of children's services by local authorities who have been exempted from children's social care legislation for six years once those six years have passed.

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she plans to take to monitor local authorities who are exempted from children's social care legislation; and what her policy is on the mechanisms available for raising concerns about the welfare of children who are the responsibility of such exempted local authorities.

Edward Timpson: Clause 30 of the Children and Social Work Bill specifies that a trial can last a maximum of three years and can be extended only once, by a further three years, subject to a report being laid in Parliament. It would therefore not be possible for a trial to be extended beyond six years in total. The monitoring arrangements of each individual trial will be agreed as part of the application process. The Government has tabled an amendment at report stage to specify that before laying regulations the Secretary of State must ask for the advice of the expert panel on the proposed monitoring arrangements and this advice will be published. Anyone who has concerns about the welfare of children during a trial can notify the Department and action would immediately be taken to investigate this. If evidence arose that children were being adversely affected as the result of a trial, the Department will act swiftly to revoke the exemption – this would be done through the negative resolution procedure.

Schools: Attendance

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has sought legal advice on whether school attendance awards comply with section 149 of the Equality Act.

Edward Timpson: The Department does not have a national policy on how schools use reward systems to incentivise better attendance, and it is for schools to decide whether they choose to use schemes such as school attendance awards. Schools have duties under the Equality Act 2010, including under section 149, to have due regard to the need to eliminate conduct that is prohibited by the Equality Act 2010, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it. Those duties on schools apply to any schemes relating to incentivising attendance.

Schools: Solar Power

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) state, (b) voluntary aided and (c) privately-funded schools in England have installed solar panels in each of the last five years.

Nick Gibb: This information is not held by this Department. It would be held by local authorities and responsible bodies as appropriate.

Apprentices

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many apprenticeship starts are on (a) new apprenticeship standards and (b) frameworks in the most recent period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

Robert Halfon: This information is published in Table 7 and Table 21 of the further education and skills statistical first release. The most recent data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/558294/learner-participation-outcomes-and-level-of-highest-qualification-data-t....xls A more detailed breakdown of starts by apprenticeship framework and standard is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/558297/201516_OCT__Apps_Starts_By_SASE_Framework_Standard_Final_V1.2.xlsx In the most recent academic year for which data is finalised (2014/15), there were 400 starts on standards out of a total of 499,900 apprenticeship starts. For the 2015/16 academic year, provisional data indicates that there were 3,800 starts on standards out of 503,700 apprenticeship starts.

Apprentices

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of apprenticeship starts that will be on (a) new apprenticeship standards and (b) frameworks in (i) 2017, (ii) 2018, (iii) 2019 and (iv) 2020.

Robert Halfon: Over the course of this Parliament, we will phase out the current apprenticeship frameworks so that all new apprentices undertake standards. We are withdrawing frameworks in phases, with as much of this as possible to take place by the 2017/18 academic year. We intend to consult on the timetable for withdrawing all remaining frameworks in order to give clarity to the sector and enable providers to review their training offer. So far, 202 employer groups are developing or have developed 441 standards, with 146 standards approved for delivery.

Grammar Schools

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 2 November 2016 to Question 47685, on grammar schools, if she will publish the external research and evidence that she considered in formulating her policy on academic selection at age 11 years.

Nick Gibb: The Department has reviewed a wide range of external research and evidence on the impact of academic selection, including research on the impact of selection on the educational attainment of disadvantaged pupils.We are still currently consulting on new proposals regarding selection in education and the Government’s policy will be informed by this consultation. All the evidence considered in preparing the consultation document, Schools that work for everyone, is referenced and available publicly.Existing evidence is based on the current grammar school system. We are proposing significant changes to the requirements placed on selective schools to ensure that they raise standards for all pupils as part of a diverse schools system.Our proposals are aimed at delivering a schools system that works for all children and offers parents genuine choice by increasing the number of good and outstanding school places.

Pupils: Chronic Illnesses

Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the Children and Families Act 2014 statutory duty on schools to make arrangements to support pupils with medical conditions is being implemented effectively.

Edward Timpson: I refer the Hon member to the answer given to PQ 51753.

Apprentices: Taxation

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of employees who work for companies who will have to pay the Apprenticeship Levy who are ineligible to complete an apprenticeship by virtue of being able to work for less than 30 hours.

Robert Halfon: Data on the numbers of employees of levy-paying companies that work fewer than 30 hours per week is not available. Although apprenticeships are full-time jobs and an apprentice should work at least 30 hours per week, in exceptional circumstances, such as where the apprentice has caring responsibilities, a minimum of 16 hours per week may be agreed between the apprentice and the employer. In circumstances where the apprentice works fewer than 30 hours per week, the duration of the apprenticeship must be extended accordingly so that the minimum requirements for duration are still met.

Free Schools: Admissions

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the pupil spare capacity is in free schools.

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many free schools have no spare capacity for more pupils.

Edward Timpson: There are now 345 open free schools. New schools typically open with one or two year groups and then increase in size by a year group each academic year. In some cases, a school’s capacity increases at the point at which it moves from temporary accommodation to its permanent site or a school could decide to expand in response to parental demand. Due to these fluctuations, we do not maintain a running total of the number of free school places available at any one time. However, we know that when they reach full capacity, the free schools already open will provide 180,000 new school places.In addition, there over 230 schools aiming to open in 2017 and beyond; these schools will provide a further 150,000 new places when at full capacity.A breakdown of the total number of pupils at each individual school is available from the school census on this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-school-and-pupil-numbers.As the data represents the total number of pupils attending a school as of the start of the calendar year the most recently published data will not include the 56 new schools opened in September 2016. These new schools will create 36,000 extra places when at full capacity.

School Milk

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that school pupils and their parents or guardians are aware of the health benefits of nursery and school milk consumption.

Edward Timpson: We encourage schools to create a whole-school culture that promotes health and well-being so that all our children are fit, healthy and able to learn. We know schools treat this seriously, and many take their own steps to promote their milk provision. School governing boards are responsible for their food policies (including milk) and we trust them to decide what is best. The new national curriculum, which came into effect in September 2014, also sets the expectation that across a variety of subjects, pupils are taught about the importance of healthy eating and nutrition. Since its introduction, we have strengthened the requirements on schools to teach children about food, nutrition and healthy eating and how to cook a range of dishes. For example, in primary schools, children are taught about healthy eating, where their food comes from, and how to prepare and cook a range of dishes. In secondary schools, cookery is now compulsory and children are taught to cook a range of healthy and nutritious meals. They are equipped with knowledge about healthy eating and what is meant by a balanced diet.  The current EU School Milk scheme is very well-established across the UK and plays a valuable role in encouraging consumption of milk from an early age. The EU Commission recently introduced legislation for a new scheme from August next year which includes a focus on the role of education in supporting milk consumption. We are working closely with stakeholders on our plans to implement the new scheme.

Apprentices: Taxation

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the (a) financial contribution made by research institutions to the apprenticeship levy and (b) number of research apprenticeships currently available.

Robert Halfon: The Department has not estimated the contribution made by research institutions to the apprenticeship levy, but estimates of levy payments by sector are published at:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/545145/Apprenticeships_-expected_levy_and_total_spend_-_Aug_2016.pdf The following apprenticeship standards are currently ready for delivery in the Science and Research area - science manufacturing technician, science industry maintenance technician, and laboratory scientist. Published information on apprenticeship starts by framework or standard is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/558297/201516_OCT__Apps_Starts_By_SASE_Framework_Standard_Final_V1.2.xlsx

Children in Care

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of trends in the cost of external residential care placements for looked after children; and what steps she is taking to assist local authorities with meeting those costs.

Edward Timpson: Annual average cost per resident week for voluntary and private sector care homes for children is published in the ‘Unit Cost of Health and Social Care’ series of publications: http://www.pssru.ac.uk/project-pages/unit-costs/ The Department publishes information on the average weekly unit cost of residential care in the children’s services finance section of the Local Authority Interactive Tool: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-interactive-tool-lait Sir Martin Narey’s review of children’s residential care (July 2016) recommends taking steps to improve commissioning arrangements among local authorities. Sir Martin finds that better analysis and planning, on a larger scale, when procuring residential care placements would drive down costs and ensure better outcomes for young people. The Government published its initial response to Sir Martin’s report in ‘Putting Children First’ and will respond in full shortly. In addition, through the £200million Children’s Social Care Innovation Programme we are looking to support new larger, regional commissioning arrangements. I announced the latest round of the programme last week. The press notice can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/education-secretary-announces-extra-investment-in-social-care

Pre-school Education: Finance

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the (a) amount and (b) proportion of funding provided through free early years entitlement that is received by early education providers rated by Ofsted as (i) outstanding, (ii) good, (iii) requires improvement and (iv) inadequate in each of the last three years.

Caroline Dinenage: The Department for Education does not collect this information. Local authorities, in consultation with their Schools Forum, are responsible for deciding how best to distribute early years entitlement funding to local providers. In turn, the department allocates funding to local authorities through the Dedicated Schools Grant which also includes the budgets for schools and high needs.

Faith Schools: Oldham

Jim McMahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of new independent faith schools that have opened in Oldham since 2010; and what steps her Department has taken to encourage community cohesion and integration in those schools.

Caroline Dinenage: Four independent faith schools have opened in Oldham since 2010.All independent schools, not just new ones and not just faith ones, have to comply with the independent school standards which are prescribed in regulations. Since 2010 the standards have been strengthened to encourage schools to do more work in encouraging community cohesion and integration. In 2010 the standards simply required that pupils should understand how they could contribute to community life, but from 2013, schools have had to ensure pupils understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality in which the school is situated, and to society more widely.Other standards which schools must comply with - such as those requiring schools to actively promote tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs, and to further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions, by enabling pupils to acquire an appreciation of, and respect for, their own and other cultures - are also relevant in this context.Independent schools are also subject to the Prevent duty, and a failure to comply with this is a breach of the independent school standards.Any independent school which does not meet these standards is subject to regulatory action to ensure that it improves as rapidly as possible.

Children: Day Care

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what timescale she has set for the publication of the independent evaluation into the early implementation phase of the 30 hour free childcare entitlement.

Caroline Dinenage: The independent evaluation of the early implementation of 30 hours free childcare will generate learning for use by all areas ahead of national rollout in September 2017. Childcare Works, a new £3m delivery contractor contracted by the Department to provide tailored support to councils, is delivering a series of engagement events with local authorities and providers throughout the autumn. These events will be used to disseminate the early learning we have gathered from the eight Early Implementer local authorities. Learning will continue to be captured throughout the year and shared regularly to ensure that it informs all areas’ delivery planning. There will be a national findings event in the spring next year, and a formal evaluation report will be published next summer.

Schools: Standards

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of schools classified as (a) requires improvement and (b) inadequate by Ofsted are (i) local authority maintained, (ii) academy and (iii) free schools.

Nick Gibb: This is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw. I have asked him to write to you and a copy of his reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

Children: Day Care

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department is making available through the capital grants fund to support the delivery of the 30 hour free childcare entitlement.

Caroline Dinenage: The Department for Education has recently made £40m available through the Early Years Capital Fund. This was a bid round committed to creating new 30 hours places and was open to local authorities working in partnership with providers in their area (this may include providers that currently offer, or plan to offer, provision for 3 and 4-year olds). This one off bidding round closed at the end of August 2016 and we intend to publish outcomes in December 2016. As part of our conditions, we expect those successful capital projects to be complete by August 2017.

Teachers: Training

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate she has made of the average cost to the public purse of training a teacher.

Nick Gibb: Based on the National Audit Office Report on “Training New Teachers”, it cost £700 million to train 33,200 trainees in 2013/14. This report is found at:https://www.nao.org.uk/report/training-new-teachers/.

Children: Health

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect on children's well-being of children being taught in different schools on account of their religious background.

Edward Timpson: We want a diverse educational system that provides greater choice for parents and a high quality education. The proposals in our consultation document, “Schools that work for everyone”, aim to increase the number of high quality places and broaden the types of providers of schools, including faith groups. We expect all schools to cater for the well-being of their pupils whatever their background and the type of school they attend.

Apprentices

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2016 to Question 47389, on apprentices, how her Department plans to ensure that each new apprenticeship standard is of high quality.

Robert Halfon: All new apprenticeship standards are designed by employers themselves in order to ensure they cover the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for full competence in the occupation. Before being approved, all standards are rigorously reviewed by the Department against clear quality criteria: these are set out in the “Future of Apprenticeships in England: Guidance for Trailblazers - from standards to starts”, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/future-of-apprenticeships-in-england-guidance-for-trailblazers. These include evidence that the standard relates to a clear and distinct occupation, is stretching enough to require at least 12 months of sustained on and off-the job training, has sufficient support from employers to demonstrate that there is a clear need for the apprenticeship and is at a sufficiently high level that it supports transferability across sectors. From next April, the new Institute for Apprenticeships will be charged with approving and reviewing standards to ensure they are high-quality and allow everyone undertaking an apprenticeship to get the training they deserve.

Teachers: Training

Sir Jeffrey M. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she expects to announce the names of the institutions that have been chosen to become Initial Teacher Training Centres of Excellence; and when the next round of selections will take place.

Sir Jeffrey M. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what Government policy is on the establishment of Initial Teacher Training Centres of Excellence.

Sir Jeffrey M. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the current criteria approved by her Department are for the establishment of an Initial Teacher Training Centre of Excellence.

Nick Gibb: The Government has not designated any Centres of Excellence in Initial Teacher Training, and therefore there are no established criteria. We intend to engage with the Initial Teacher Training sector to discuss the possible designation of Centres of Excellence in future, building on the proposal set out in the White Paper earlier this year. Details about the methodology used for allocating training places for the 2017/18 academic year can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/itt-requesting-places-and-allocations-methodology-2017-to-2018. We expect to publish the full allocations made to providers for 2017/18 later this year.

Apprentices

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2016 to Question 47389, on apprentices, what steps her Department has taken to validate the rationale that businesses use when determining where the skills shortages in the economy lie.

Robert Halfon: The Department uses a set of published criteria to determine whether each new apprenticeship standard proposed by employers meets the requirements of a high-quality apprenticeship. This includes evidence that the standard relates to a clear and distinct occupation, is stretching enough to require at least 12 months of sustained on- and off-the-job training, and has sufficient support from employers to demonstrate that there is a need for the apprenticeship. The full set of criteria is published on pages 11 and 12 of the Guidance for Trailblazers, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/future-of-apprenticeships-in-england-guidance-for-trailblazers Each proposal also undergoes a short public consultation to invite views on whether there is demand for the standard, and that it meets these criteria. The Institute for Apprenticeships will take over responsibility for determining which employer proposals to develop standards should be taken forward from April 2017, and will ensure that apprenticeships are high-quality and in clear areas of need. We will shortly be consulting on the draft remit letter for the Institute.

Education: Capital Investment

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how her Department defines areas with the greatest sufficiency challenge in allocating resources from the capital grants fund.

Caroline Dinenage: The Government is committed to extending the free entitlement to childcare from 15 to 30 hours a week for working parents. We closed a £40m 30 hours capital bid round at the end of August 2016 to support the immediate need for new 30 hours places and will announce successful project awards in December 2016. This bid round was targeted at areas best able to evidence their need for 30 hours capital at a sub-local level, alongside value for money, performance, and deliverability outcomes criteria. Local authorities were invited to provide evidence of their sufficiency need for capital at a sub-local level, and bids were assessed on the basis of the evidence of sub-local variations in eligibility, parental take-up and capacity of providers.

Ministry of Justice

Prisoners' Release

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the maximum number of releases on temporary licence a prisoner has been granted over their sentence while in custody was in the last five years.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Sexual Offences: Victim Support Schemes

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Ministry of Justice paper, Our Commitment to Victims, published in September 2014, what plans she has made to ensure that all publicly funded advocates involved in serious sexual offences have undertaken approved specialist training on working with vulnerable victims; and whether her Department plans to update that training to take account of national roll-out of pre-trial cross-examination for vulnerable witnesses.

Dr Phillip Lee: The Government is committed to making the process of going to court simpler, easier and more sympathetic to victims. That is why we will roll out recorded pre-trial cross-examination in the Crown Court, to ensure vulnerable victims are spared the trauma of reliving events at trial. All publicly-funded advocates in sexual offences cases will be required to undertake specialist training on working with vulnerable victims and witnesses. Only advocates who have had the specialist training will be able to be instructed in and undertake sexual offences cases, including those in which video-recording of cross-examination features.

Littlehey Prison

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress her Department has made on implementing the reintegration planning recommendations outlined in the report on an unannounced inspection of HM Prison Littlehey  of March 2015.

Mr Sam Gyimah: HMP Littlehey has made good progress on implementing the recommendations set out in the unannounced report published in July 2015. Offender managers and supervisors assess pre-release needs and as part of a local initiative, two staff from the local CRC (BeNCH) support the referral to resettlement services. The policy response for managing the over 55 year old population has been reviewed. A range of sex offender treatment programmes as well as a Thinking Skills programme to assist with addressing the risks presented by this cohort of prisoners have been commissioned. The National Career Service (NCS) provides improved prisoner skills assessment and employment options on reception as well as group work sessions. Discharge clinics are provided by Healthcare to ensure forward planning of prisoner health and wellbeing on release.

Pentonville Prison

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to page 1 of the Independent Monitoring Board's Annual Report 2015-16 on HM Prison Pentonville, whether she has met that Board to discuss the conclusion that Pentonville urgently needs a timetable for its replacement or for reducing the population and upgrading the facilities.

Mr Sam Gyimah: I (Sam Gyimah) wrote to the chair of the Pentonville Independent Monitoring Board on 30 August in response to concerns raised in their report. As the Justice Secretary has made clear, there are a number of factors including the availability of psychoactive substances in prisons which must be tackled in order to make our prisons safe and places of rehabilitation. Staff at HM Prison and Young Offender Institution Pentonville are working hard to address the concerns raised in the report and liaising with local police to tackle the threat of drugs entering the prison. Ministers continue to keep the population level and conditions of HM Prison and Young Offender Institution Pentonville under review.

Registered Intermediaries

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Answers of 26 February 2014 to Questions 184188 and 184187, how many requests were made for each age group of vulnerable witnesses for registered intermediaries by (a) the police, (b) the Crown Prosecution Service, (c) courts, (d) solicitors and (e) other groups in each year since 2013.

Dr Phillip Lee: Protecting victims is our top priority. In 2015 we doubled the number of Registered Intermediaries to increase the numbers available to help vulnerable witnesses/victims. The following table provides the requested information for years 2014 and 2015 and for the year to date 2016. Only the police, CPS, courts and solicitors may request a registered intermediary. 20140-45-1112-1718+65+Courts00000CPS3527019138023Police371631454878101Solicitor00120  20150-45-1112-1718+65+Courts10100CPS3355929347736Police5071,5557321,191109Solicitor02010  20160-45-1112-1718+65+Courts00220CPS2746526040528Police4941,6617471,07772Solicitor08120

Personal Independence Payment: Appeals

Conor McGinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many applications for personal independence payments that were refused at mandatory consideration were subsequently overturned at tribunal in (a) St Helens North constituency, (b) Merseyside and (c) the UK in each year since 2010.

Sir Oliver Heald: The table below provides information on the number of personal independence payment (PIP) appeals decided in favour of the appellant from 2013-14, that were heard at (a) the Tribunal venue at St Helens1 which serves appellants living in the St Helens North constituency and other nearby locations; and (b) Merseyside2. PIP was introduced as a new benefit from 8 April 2013. It is being introduced in stages and will eventually replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people aged 16 to 64. National information about the number and outcomes of Social Security and Child Support appeals by benefit type, including PIP, is published in the Tribunal and Gender Recognition Certificate Statistics Quarterly on gov.uk. Number and percentage3 of PIP appeals found in favour of the appellant 2013-142014-152015-16St Helens11 (25%)15 (36%)84 (58%)Merseyside210 (43%)192 (44%)1,064 (58%) 1 St Helens venue serves appellants living in St Helens North constituency and other nearby locations.2 Merseyside includes appeals heard at HM Courts & Tribunals Service Social Security and Child Support venues in Liverpool, St Helens and Birkenhead.3Percentages are calculated relative to the cases cleared at hearing.Although care is taken when processing and analysing the data, the details are subject to inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale case management system

Prison Service: Staff

Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people were employed in (a) Durham, (b) Frankland and (c) Low Newton prisons each year since 2010; and in what category of occupation those people were employed in each such year.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Safe prisons are fundamental to the proper functioning of our justice system. Our dedicated prison officers, who support tens of thousands of prisoners every day, are vital to the safe running of our prisons. We have recruited 2,541 in the 12 months to 30 September 2016 and are taking significant action to make sure we have appropriate staffing levels. As I announced last week, we will be investing in an additional 2,500 prison officers across the prison estate. Information on staff in post within the establishments requested for 31 March from 2010 to 2013 is contained in the attached table. Operational includes, operational support staff, prison officers and operational managers. Non-operational covers all other directly employed grades within the establishment such as administration staff, managers, psychologists, chaplains and facilities staff. Information from 2014 onwards is published in the NOMS Workforce Statistics Bulletin available on the gov.uk website. Date DurhamFranklandLow Newton31-Mar-10Operational408759202 Non-Operational13420276 Total54296127831-Mar-11Operational393739200 Non-Operational12819877 Total52193727731-Mar-12Operational339707191 Non-Operational11818978 Total45789626931-Mar-13Operational304681185 Non-Operational9517871 Total399860256

Prison Service: Staff

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prison guards are (a) British nationals and (b) foreign workers; and of those that are foreign workers, how many are EU nationals.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The information requested is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Prisons: Drugs

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the success of drug recovery wings in prisons; and whether she plans to increase the number of drug recovery wings in prisons.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Our Prison Safety and Reform White Paper, published this month, affirms the government’s commitment to fundamentally reassess our wider approach to tackling the supply and demand for drugs in prisons. We want prisoners who arrive dependent on drugs to get the treatment they need so when they leave they don’t need to commit crimes to feed their addiction. Drug Recovery Wings are one approach to tackling substance misuse in prison. Drug recovery wings were formally piloted in 11 prisons, a Department of Health funded independent evaluation is currently under peer review and will feed into our work on prison reform. Some establishments, in partnership with Drug Treatment Providers, have also established their own local recovery wing models outside of the original pilot areas. It is for health commissioners, alongside prison governors, to decide if they wish to commission drug recovery wings when considering how best to meet the needs of their population.

Prisons

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will take steps to sell all women's prisons and replace those institutions with smaller units in local areas.

Dr Phillip Lee: As part of our prison reform announcement we will build and open five new community prisons for women. We are committed to helping female offenders reform and live law-abiding lives and we will be announcing plans to reform the way we manage female and young offenders in the New Year.

Prisons: Private Sector

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to her Oral Statement on prison safety and reform of 3 November 2016, Official Report, column 1067, how many prison officers were employed in privately-run  prisons in (a) May 2010 and (b) November 2016.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Well-run prisons are fundamental to the proper functioning of our justice system, and a vital part of our reform plans. Private providers are required to maintain a sufficient number of staff, with the requisite level of skill and experience engaged in the provision of the Custodial Service, to ensure that the Prison is a safe, secure and decent environment. Privately Managed Prisons continue to play an important role in the prison estate and performance of all providers is closely monitored. In May 2010, there were 2,329 full time equivalent prison custody officers employed by privately managed prisons in England and Wales. There are currently 3,170 full time equivalent prison custody officers employed by privately managed prisons in England and Wales.

Prison Service: Staff

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) prison officers and (b) staff have been employed at (i) HMP Lindholme and (ii) HMP Moorlands and Hatfield since 2010.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Safe prisons are fundamental to the proper functioning of our justice system. Our dedicated prison officers, who support tens of thousands of prisoners every day, are vital to the safe running of our prisons. We have recruited 2,541 in the 12 months to 30 September 2016 and are taking significant action to make sure we have appropriate staffing levels. As I announced last week, we will be investing in an additional 2,500 prison officers across the prison estate. Information on staff in post within the establishments requested for 31 March from 2010 to 2013 is contained in the attached table. Operational includes, operational support staff, prison officers and operational managers. Non-operational covers all other directly employed grades within the establishment such as administration staff, managers, psychologists, chaplains and facilities staff. Information from 2014 onwards is published in the NOMS Workforce Statistics Bulletin available on the gov.uk website. Date LindholmeMoorland 31-Mar-10Operational352386  Non-Operational12492  Total476479 31-Mar-11Operational341397  Non-Operational12086  Total462484 31-Mar-12Operational323393  Non-Operational117106  Total441500 31-Mar-13Operational296354  Non-Operational104101  Total401456   1 Prior to 2015 Hatfield was reported with Moorland

Driving: Disqualification

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been disqualified from driving in each December in each of the last five years.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The Government is committed to making sure that sentencing for those who kill or cause serious injury on the roads is proportionate within the context of our wider sentencing framework. It is our intention to commence a consultation before the end of the year which will look at driving offences and penalties. The number of people disqualified from driving in the month of December, in England and Wales, from 2010 to 2015 can be viewed in the table below. Number of people disqualified from driving for all motoring offences in month of December, England and Wales, 2010 to 2015. (1)(2)  201020112012201320142015  5,8835,6464,7074,8103,8414,925(1) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.  (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.

Personal Independence Payment: West Sussex

Jeremy Quin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many appeals have been closed, that were registered between July 2015 and June 2016, with a change to the original award without representation after assessment for personal independence payments for (a) new claimants and (b) reassessments in (i) Arun (E07000224), (ii) Chichester (E07000225), (iii) Worthing (E07000229), (iv) Adur (E07000223), (v) Horsham (E07000227), (vi) Crawley (E07000226) and (vii) Mid Sussex (E07000228).

Jeremy Quin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many appeals were registered between July 2015 and June 2016 following assessment for personal independence payments for (a) new claimants and (b) reassessments for (i) Arun (E07000224), (ii) Chichester (E07000225), (iii) Worthing (E07000229), (iv) Adur (E07000223), (v) Horsham (E07000227), (vi) Crawley (E07000226) and (vii) Mid Sussex (E07000228).

Jeremy Quin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many appeals have been closed, that were registered between July 2015 and June 2016, with (a) a change and (b) no change to the original award after assessment for personal independence payments for (i) new claimants and (ii) reassessments in (A) Arun (E07000224), (B) Chichester (E07000225), (C) Worthing (E07000229), (D) Adur (E07000223), (E) Horsham (E07000227), (F) Crawley (E07000226) and (G) Mid Sussex (E07000228).

Sir Oliver Heald: The information requested is not held centrally.

Legal Profession

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate she has made of how many people in (a) Greater London and (b) the UK are directly employed in legal services; and what estimate she has made of the number of jobs in that sector which might be relocated from the UK after the UK leaves the EU.

Sir Oliver Heald: According to the CityUK UK Legal Services Report 2016, around 370,000 people are employed in the legal services sector. This includes 314,100 in private practice (which excludes those working in-house, in foreign firms and on a contract basis, and those not attached to an organisation). English law has had a huge impact, spreading the rule of law around the world. It is the law of choice in over a quarter of jurisdictions, and Brexit gives us even more opportunities to promote this. We will be championing our £25 billion legal services industry as a key part of post-Brexit global Britain.

Bedford Prison

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average time spent out of cell each day for prisoners in HMP Bedford was in each year since 2010.

Mr Sam Gyimah: We do not hold this data.

Members: Correspondence

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when she plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Glasgow Central on 14 September 2016 regarding breastfeeding and the expressing of breast milk for female offenders.

Dr Phillip Lee: I wrote to the hon. Member on behalf of the Secretary of State on 7 November, providing details of the policy and practice in prisons and in courts to make appropriate provision for women offenders who wish to breastfeed or express milk.

Prisons: Compensation

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much compensation has been paid to (a) prison guards, (b) other prison staff and (c) prisoners in the last three years.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Public Sector: Redundancy Pay

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many public sector workers in criminal justice posts received a redundancy package with a value of over £100,000 in each year since 2010.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The information requested appears in the department’s annual report and accounts which are available on gov.uk.

Prison Service: Redundancy Pay

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much HM Prison Service has paid in redundancy packages to its staff in each since 2010.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Data on exit payments is in the NOMS Annual Report and Accounts and can be found on www.gov.uk website.

Mental Health Review Tribunal

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans she has to (a) reform the composition and (b) reduce the size of mental health review tribunals; and if she will make a statement.

Sir Oliver Heald: The government is consulting on proposals to amend existing legislation to provide the Senior President of Tribunals with greater flexibility in his determination of panel composition in the unified tribunals, including the mental health tribunal. We believe our proposals will lead to a more proportionate, targeted approach to panel composition, with non-legal members being used in cases where their knowledge or expertise is really needed. Decisions on the composition of tribunal panels are, and will continue to be, made by the Senior President of Tribunals independently of my department.

Courts

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will devolve responsibilities for courts and the Crown Prosecution Service to (a) the Mayor of London, (b) other mayors and (c) other combined authorities; and if she will make a statement.

Dr Phillip Lee: The Ministry of Justice is open to considering proposals to give a greater influence over criminal justice to local areas where the evidence shows this will make local justice more effective. As an independent Prosecutor, the Crown Prosecution Service is not the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice but is superintended ‎by the Attorney General.

Employment Tribunals Service

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the press release by the Trades Union Congress on employment tribunal claims, published on 4 November 2016, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the potential effect of employment tribunal fees on the number of people able to challenge employment discrimination in the workplace.

Sir Oliver Heald: The Government is undertaking a post implementation review of the introduction of fees for proceedings in the Employment Tribunals. We expect to publish the conclusions of the review in due course.

Employment Tribunals Service

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what representations her Department has received on the effect of tribunal fees on (a) working people and (b) people who have been treated unfairly at work.

Sir Oliver Heald: The Government is undertaking a post implementation review of the introduction of fees for proceedings in the Employment Tribunals. We expect to publish the conclusions of the review, including the representations we have received on the impact of fees, in due course.

Prime Minister

EU Exit and Trade Committee

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Prime Minister, if she will make the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a permanent member of the EU Exit and Trade Cabinet Committee.

Mrs Theresa May: A list of members of the European Union Exit and Trade Cabinet Committee is available in the Library of the House.

Colombia

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions she has had with President Santos of Colombia during her recent visit to the UK on (a) access to justice for victims of conflict-related sexual violence, (b) land restitution, (c) securing truth, justice and reparation for victims of conflict and (d) support for human rights and trades union activists in that country.

Mrs Theresa May: During the State Visit, I discussed the human rights situation in Colombia with President Santos, including reports of increased attacks against human rights defenders. The tenets of our relationship with Colombia are based on shared values of democracy, prosperity, and respect for human rights. President Santos and I reaffirmed this in the Joint Declaration which was issued following our meeting.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Press

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, to which journals and periodicals her Department currently subscribes.

Matt Hancock: The journals and periodicals the Department currently subscribes to include:  WiredThe SpectatorThe New StatesmanThe WeekPrivate EyeEndersBroadcastEU Media ObservatoryIBIS World DCMS also has an account with EBSCOhost, which provides access to many varied academic journals.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Migrant Workers

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many citizens of non-UK EU countries work in her Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies.

Matt Hancock: All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Working Hours

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many officials of her Department have opted out of the EU Working Time Directive.

Matt Hancock: There are no officials in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport who have opted out of the EU Working Time Directive.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Pay

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of women are employed by her Department on an inner London pay structure in the following pay grades (a) Administrative Assistant, (b) Administrative Officer, (c) Executive Officer, (d) Higher Executive Officer, (e) Fast Streamer, (f) Senior Executive Officer, (g) Grade Seven, (h) Grade Six, (i) Senior Civil Service Band 1, (j) Senior Civil Service Band 1A, (k) Senior Civil Service Band 2 and (l) Senior Civil Service Band 3.

Matt Hancock: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport have combined the Higher Executive Officer and Senior Executive Officer grades, and the Administrative Assistant and Administrative Officer grades. Note that the Senior Civil Service 1A band is no longer in use.  GradeProportion of WomenSenior Civil Service Band 3100%Senior Civil Service Band 257%Senior Civil Service Band 160%Grade 656%Grade 748%Higher Executive Officer Senior Executive Officer52%Executive Officer59%Administrative Assistant Administrative Office32%Overall52% Source: DCMS Annual Report, 31st Mar 16

Mobile Phones: Standards

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will bring forward provisions in the Digital Economy Bill to protect mobile telephone customers in the event that service is below the standards advertised.

Matt Hancock: The Digital Economy Bill will help consumers receive compensation when they don’t get what they’ve paid for. Clause three of the Bill makes explicit Ofcom’s power to require communications providers to adhere to defined automatic compensation regimes.

Film: Working Class

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to improve working-class representation in the film industry.

Matt Hancock: Government has been clear that more needs to be done within the creative industries - including the film industry - to improve diversity, and create a country that works for everyone. The Creative Industries Council (CIC) has developed its strategy for diversity and the British Film Institute (BFI) has introduced a range of measures to support diversity, such as diversity standards to improve the representation of diverse groups across all BFI Lottery funded activities; the BFI Film Academy, funded by the Department for Education (DfE) and the National Lottery, to help young people from diverse backgrounds develop a career in the film industry; as well as supporting over 9,000 school film clubs across the UK.

Sports: Exchange Rates

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effect of recent changes in the currency exchange rate on professional sport in the UK.

Tracey Crouch: No such assessment has been made by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Sports: Free Movement of Labour

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of changes to rules on freedom of movement on professional sport in the UK.

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations she has received from professional sports bodies on the potential effect on professional sport of changes to free movement rules.

Tracey Crouch: The UK’s negotiations for exiting the EU are complex and the Government is focused on securing the best deal for Britain. Together with the Department for Exiting the EU, we are analysing all the impacts of leaving the EU and have discussed areas of interest with sporting stakeholders.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Staff

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has set up a team in her Department to examine the potential effect on the creative industries of the UK leaving the EU.

Matt Hancock: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has a dedicated media and creative industries team working on a range of policy issues affecting the creative industries, including both the potential effect and opportunities presented by the UK’s decision to leave the European Union (EU).

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Staff

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many officials in her Department are working on preparations for the UK leaving the EU.

Matt Hancock: All policy teams within DCMS lead on preparations for the UK leaving the EU for their area of expertise. An EU team works predominantly on coordinating these preparations and on day-to-day EU business.

Mobile Phones: Infrastructure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of improvements made to mobile infrastructure as a result of the £5 billion investment programme that was announced by her Department in December 2014 to improve that infrastructure by 2017; and if she will make a statement.

Matt Hancock: The investment made by the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) as a result of the December 2014 landmark agreement, is delivering improvements in mobile connectivity as operators upgrade their networks to 4G. According to Ofcom nearly 98% of UK premises had 4G mobile coverage from at least one MNO in May 2016 (up from 72% in 2014). We will see further improvements in coverage as MNOs continue their rollout of mobile infrastructure between now and end 2017, to deliver their licence obligations, that will be enforced by Ofcom. To support industry the Government is reforming the Electronic Communications Code via the Digital Economy Bill that will significantly reduce the cost of providing digital infrastructure. The Government's reforms to the mobile planning laws to provide greater freedoms and flexibilities in England for the deployment of mobile communications infrastructure, will also be in place by 24 November.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Staff

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many civil servants in her Department are working with the creative industries on the potential effects of the UK's exit from the EU.

Matt Hancock: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has a number of staff across the department working on international and creative industries policy, including working with the sector to understand the potential effects and opportunities presented by the UK’s decision to leave the European Union (EU).

Film

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations she has received from the film industry on the UK's decision to leave the EU.

Matt Hancock: We have received a range of representations from the film industry on the UK’s decision to leave the European Union and we are working with industry to assess the potential impacts and maximise the opportunities that our exit presents for the sector.

Video Games

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations she has received from the games industry on the potential effects of the UK's decision to leave the EU.

Matt Hancock: We have received a range of representations from the video games industry on the UK’s decision to leave the European Union and we are working with industry to assess the potential impacts and maximise the opportunities that our exit presents for the sector. Our ongoing discussions have included a roundtable attended by a number of individuals from the video games sector. I have further meetings with representatives from the games industry planned for later this month.

Gambling Commission: National Lottery

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2016 to Question 50343, on Gambling Commission: National Lottery, what the URL is for the publication of those decisions on that website.

Tracey Crouch: Decisions relating to the regulation of The National Lottery are posted under ‘Regulating the National Lottery’, (http://www.natlotcomm.gov.uk/regulating-the-lottery.html) and organised by subject. For example, decisions relating to game changes may be found under the 'Licensing Games' section, including recent changes to the Lotto (http://www.natlotcomm.gov.uk/regulating-the-lottery/licensing-games/lotto.html) and EuroMillions games (http://www.natlotcomm.gov.uk/regulating-the-lottery/licensing-games/euromillions-and-millionaire-raffle.html). Details of enforcement issues, and licence breaches may be found under the 'Enforcement' section 2016/17 breaches (http://www.natlotcomm.gov.uk/regulating-the-lottery/licensing-games/euromillions-and-millionaire-raffle.html).

Football Association: Finance

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding from the (a) public purse and (b) National Lottery the Football Association received in each of the last five years.

Tracey Crouch: I am pleased to provide a breakdown in the table below of the funding provided to the Football Association (FA) for grassroots football development since 2010/11. LotteryExchequer2010/11£3,461,403£4,714,8992011/12£4,189,187£1,361,7232012/13£3,728,266£1,314,4192013/14£9,247,050£1,040,0002014/15£8,276,330£898,9292015/16£6,375,054£2,970,9102016/17£6,453,501£2,000,000TOTAL£56,031,671

Members: Correspondence

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Glasgow Central of 16 September 2016 on parity of funding for BBC Alba.

Matt Hancock: A letter was sent to the hon member on 9th November.

Obesity: Children

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government is taking to monitor the level of advertising for (a) breakfast cereals and (b) convenience foods for its effect on childhood obesity.

Matt Hancock: We recognise the importance of tackling childhood obesity, which is caused by a number of complex factors. The Childhood Obesity Plan for Action, published in August, considered a number of different policy responses to address this problem. Additional advertising restrictions were considered as part of this process, but current restrictions in the UK are amongst the toughest in the world and the plan focuses on those areas which experts tell us are most effective.

Data Protection

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment the Government has made of (a) consumer and (b) small business awareness of the sensitivity of personal data and the importance of protecting it.

Matt Hancock: The Government takes the protection of personal data seriously. The Information Commissioner is the independent regulator of the Data Protection Act (DPA) and conducts an annual tracker survey which measures individuals awareness of rights under the DPA and gauges individuals’ perceptions of the way organisations handle their personal information. The latest version, which can be found at www.ico.org.uk, states that 97% of respondents were aware of the DPA.The DPA requires businesses that process personal data to take “appropriate technical and organisational measures against unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data". The Information Commissioner's Office can issue civil monetary penalties of up to £500,000 to organisations that are in breach of the rules.

Data Protection

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government is taking to improve consumer awareness of (a) the privacy, security and fraud implications of sharing personal data online and (b) how people can mitigate such risks.

Matt Hancock: The Information Commissioner's Office is responsible for producing guidance for the general public, private and public sector organisations on information rights; this includes informing individuals’ about their right to privacy, security measures data controllers should have in place and the implications of sharing personal data. This guidance and how to mitigate the risks associated with sharing data can be found on its’ website at; www.ico.org.uk.The Government is investing £1.9 billion to protect the nation in cyber space. The Cyber Aware campaign aims to drive behaviour change amongst small businesses and individuals so they adopt simple secure online behaviours to help protect themselves from fraud.

ICT: Investment

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will require Ofcom to consult with local authorities and mayors before proceeding with major IT investment; and if she will make a statement.

Matt Hancock: Ofcom's approach to consultations for proposed new regulatory measures can be found on their website here: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations-and-statements/how-will-ofcom-consult.

Mass Media

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, to which stakeholders her Department has formally written to inform them that they might participate in the consultation on whether to conduct further investigations into standards, ethics and criminality in the press.

Matt Hancock: Ministers wrote to a small number of interested parties regarding the consultation on the Leveson Inquiry and its implementation, including interested Parliamentarians and victims of press abuse. The consultation runs until 10 January 2017 and is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-the-leveson-inquiry-and-its-implementation. We hope a wide range individuals and organisations respond.

Mass Media: Regulation

William Wragg: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will set out the progress on the development of new independent bodies to regulate the media.

Matt Hancock: The Government established a new system of press self-regulation whereby self-regulators can apply to the Press Recognition Panel for recognition if they choose. It is for the Panel to assess self-regulators against the criteria set out in the Royal Charter.

Public Telephones

Dr Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the report by the British Infrastructure Group, Mobile Coverage: a good call for Britain, published in October 2016, what assessment she has made of the role public telephones can play in (a) emergency situations, (b) those situations in areas  with poor signal coverage and (c) those situations for people unable to afford mobile telephones.

Matt Hancock: This is a matter for local authorities to take based on the value of retaining a phone box to the local community.We recognise the importance of public call boxes as a means of calling the emergency services. Ofcom requires that there is a period of consultation before a public call box is removed and that one of the factors to be considered by the relevant public body is the potential importance of the call box to contact the emergency services. Improving mobile connectivity across the UK, including in rural and hard to reach areas is a priority for the Government, and the December 2014 agreement with industry guarantees that each mobile network operator will provide voice and SMS text coverage to 90% of the UK's landmass by end-2017. Additionally, Telefonica has a licence obligation to deliver indoor 4G coverage to 98% of UK premises over the same period. Taken together these obligations will cut complete not spots further, and improve mobile coverage across the UK. The Code of Practice for the Public Emergency Call Service requires that a caller from a mobile phone is able to roam onto another mobile network to make an emergency call if they have no signal from their own provider. The improvements in mobile connectivity arising from the December 2014 agreement will support this.

Sports: EU Grants and Loans

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which sport (a) organisations, (b) programmes and (c) projects in the UK receive funding from the EU; what the total amount of such funding was in each of the last five years; and how much funding was allocated to each such organisation, programme or project in each such year.

Matt Hancock: The Chancellor has guaranteed structural and investment fund projects in the UK that are signed before and after the Autumn Statement. In addition, projects where UK organisations bid directly and competitively for EU funding will be guaranteed by the UK Government if the bids are won before our departure from the EU, regardless of whether or not the projects continue after departure. Funding for other projects will be honoured by the government if they are good value for money and are in line with domestic strategic priorities. Leaving the EU means we will want to take our own decisions about how to deliver the policy objectives previously targeted by EU funding. We are consulting closely with stakeholders to review all EU funding schemes to ensure that any ongoing funding commitments best serve the UK‘s national interest, while ensuring appropriate investor certainty.

Public Telephones: Northern Ireland

Dr Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many public telephones (a) are currently in operation and (b) have been removed in Northern Ireland in the last five years.

Matt Hancock: BT currently operates 1612 payphones in Northern Ireland. We do not hold have historic data on removals for Northern Ireland.

Department for Work and Pensions

Means-tested Benefits: Individual Savings Accounts

Kirsty Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department considers Lifetime ISA savings as capital for the purposes of capital limits for welfare means testing.

Damian Hinds: Like other forms of saving, the surrender value of the Lifetime ISA will be treated as capital in means tested benefits and therefore subject to capital limits. This was set out in a detailed policy document on the Lifetime ISA from HM Treasury in September.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Scotland

Mhairi Black: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which areas of Scotland participated in the trial of early warnings for sanctions on jobseeker's allowance.

Damian Hinds: The trial covered Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) claimants only in the following districts: East and South-East Scotland; Glasgow, Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire; West of ScotlandThe North of Scotland was used as the control area.

National Employment Savings Trust Corporation

Nigel Mills: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of whether the proposed extension of the National Employment Saving Trust's operations into the retirement income market is consistent with that organisation's Public Service Obligation; and what the implications of that proposal are for competition in that market.

Richard Harrington: We have recently undertaken a Call for Evidence to consider whether the National Employer Savings Trust should offer decumulation services and extend access to the scheme. The Call for Evidence closed on 5 October, and the Government is considering the full range of evidence submitted, including the organisation’s Public Service Obligation, and effect on competition. We intend to publish our response in due course.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Disqualification

Mhairi Black: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to publish the interim report on the trial of early warnings for sanctions on jobseeker's allowance.

Damian Hinds: We plan to publish an interim report in the next few weeks.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Disqualification

Mhairi Black: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the information that was given to jobseeker's allowance claimants on the trial of using early warnings for sanctions on that allowance.

Damian Hinds: The information given to claimants on the Early Warning Trial for Jobseeker’s Allowance sanctions will be included in the interim report due to be issued later in November 2016.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Disqualification

Mhairi Black: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria were used for evaluating the trial of using early warnings for sanctions on jobseeker's allowance.

Damian Hinds: The interim report will contain an initial estimate of the difference in rate of sanction as a result of the claimants receiving the early warning letter. The final report, which we plan to publish around April 2017, will also contain a qualitative evaluation based on interviews with claimants involved in the trial and DWP staff operating the new process as well as a final estimate for the quantitative impact

Carer's Allowance

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of raising the earnings threshold for carer's allowance to enable those who work 16 hours a week on the living wage to be eligible.

Penny Mordaunt: The Government keeps the Carer’s Allowance earnings limit under regular review and increases it when it is warranted and affordable. I refer the hon. Member to the answer she received on 25 April 2016 in response to UIN34752http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-04-20/34752/

State Retirement Pensions: Scotland

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Scottish residents will have their incomes affected by changes to the state pension; and whether all those people have been contacted to inform them of the effect of such changes.

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the (a) average individual change and (b) cumulative change of Scottish residents who will have their incomes affected by changes to the UK state pension.

Richard Harrington: The Department cannot model the impact of the new State Pension at a regional or country specific level. Impacts for the whole of Great Britain can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/491845/impact-of-new-state-pension-longer-term-reserach.pdf The Department has promoted awareness of State Pension changes in England, Wales and Scotland through a communications campaign since November 2014, which has included advertisements in newspapers, online and on radio.

Social Security Benefits: Scotland

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Scottish households his Department has contacted on the reduction in the benefit cap; what the average change in income is to each Scottish household affected by the lower camp; and what the overall cumulative change is to household incomes in Scotland resulting from the lower cap.

Caroline Nokes: Claimants in a household potentially affected by the cap were notified in advance and the estimated number of households affected by the lower cap in Scotland is available in the latest Impact Assessment published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/548741/welfare-reform-and-work-act-impact-assessment-for-the-benefit-cap.pdf It is estimated that the income of each Scottish household affected by the lower cap will be reduced by an average of £67 per week, and that the total reduction in the income of all Scottish households affected by the lower cap is estimated to be £350,000 per week.   Notes:Estimates assume no behavioural responses - any behavioural responses to the lower cap, such as claimants moving into employment, would cause the number of households affected to reduce.The total reduction has been rounded to the nearest £10,000 per weekThe methodology used to estimate the households affected by the cap and the average reduction is consistent with that described in the latest impact assessment published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/welfare-reform-and-work-act-impact-assessment-for-the-benefit-cap The benefit cap will be lowered from 7th November from £26,000 to £20,000, except in London where it will be lowered to £23,000 (a lower cap applies to single adult households). To help ensure Local Authorities are able to protect the most vulnerable Housing Benefit claimants and to support households adjusting to our welfare reforms, the Government will provide £870m funding for Discretionary Housing Payments over the next 5 years from 2016/17. Information about this and other measures to ease the transition for families affected by this policy change is included in the latest impact assessment at the link above.

Children: Maintenance

Ms Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many referrals of child maintenance debtors to credit reference agencies have been made since March 2015.

Caroline Nokes: The Department is committed to the policy of referring those defaulting on their child maintenance payments to credit reference agencies.Following the change in legislation in March 2015, we have been working with the credit reference agencies to put in place a process to share liability order information. We are currently working with the credit reference agencies to negotiate a cost effective contract for this data service.To date no liability order information has been shared, but it is CMG’s intention to do so as soon as possible.As at 7th November 2016 there are a total of 1,152 cases prepared and ready to share with credit reference agencies; we plan to disclose this information with credit reference agencies once an appropriate process is in place. In the interim we continue to issue warning letters to prompt action by non-resident parents to settle their arrears, and will where appropriate consider other enforcement actions on these cases.

Employment and Support Allowance: Parkinson's Disease

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with Parkinson's disease have been placed in the (a) support group and (b) work-related activity group with a prognosis statement of (i) three months, (ii) six months, (iii) 12 months, (iv) 18 months, (v) two years and (vi) more than two years since the introduction of employment and support allowance in 2008.

Penny Mordaunt: The information requested is shown in the table below. Outcomes of initial and repeat Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) functional assessments and Incapacity Benefits Reassessments (IBR) for claimants with Parkinson’s Disease, by Prognosis: October 2008 – December 2015.   PrognosisTotal3 Months6 Months12 Months18 Months2 YearsIn the longer termInitial assessmentsSG1,900--2001003001,200WRAG700100100200100100200Repeat assessmentsSG1,400--1001002001,000WRAG500--100100100200IB reassessmentsSG1,300----2001,000WRAG300----100100 Source: Data in the tables above is derived from administrative data held by the DWP and assessment data provided by our Healthcare Providers. Notes:Figures are rounded to the nearest 100. “-“denotes nil or under 50.SG – Support GroupWRAG – Work Related Activity GroupThe outcome recorded is the final DWP Decision Maker’s decision or the recommendation made by the Atos Healthcare Professional where the Decision Maker’s decision is not yet available.The data presented above comes from benefit claims data held by the Department for Work and Pensions. In October 2008, ESA replaced IB for new claims. Starting with a trial in October 2010, and reaching a full scale national roll-out in April 2011, existing IB claims began to be phased out, with claimants reassessed to see if they qualify for ESA instead.The reassessment of existing incapacity benefits claimants was rolled out nationally from April 2011.

Employment and Support Allowance

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with (a) multiple sclerosis, (b) spinal muscular atrophy, (c) Parkinson's disease, (d) cystic fibrosis and (e) rheumatoid arthritis were placed in the work-related activity group of employment and support allowance between (i) April 2014 and April 2015 and (ii) April 2015 and April 2016.

Penny Mordaunt: The latest information available is shown in the table below:Numbers placed in the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) for initial and repeat Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) functional assessments and Incapacity Benefits Reassessments (IBR) for claimants with Multiple Sclerosis, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Parkinson’s Disease, Cystic Fibrosis or Rheumatoid Arthritis: April 2014 to March 2015 and April 2015 to December 2015. ConditionMultiple SclerosisSpinal Muscular AtrophyParkinson's DiseaseCystic FibrosisRheumatoid ArthritisInitial assessmentsApr-14 to Mar-15----200Apr-15 to Dec-15----100Repeat assessmentsApr-14 to Mar-15-----Apr-15 to Dec-15-----IB ReassessmentsApr-14 to Mar-15----100Apr-15 to Dec-15----- Source: Data in the tables above is derived from administrative data held by the DWP and assessment data provided by our Healthcare providers.Notes:Figures are rounded to the nearest 100. “-“denotes nil or under 50.The WRAG outcome recorded is the final DWP Decision Maker’s decision or the recommendation made by the our Healthcare Professional where the Decision Maker’s decision is not yet available.The data presented above comes from benefit claims data held by the Department for Work and Pensions. In October 2008, ESA replaced IB for new claims. Starting with a trial in October 2010, and reaching a full scale national roll-out in April 2011, existing IB claims began to be phased out, with claimants reassessed to see if they qualify for ESA instead.The reassessment of existing incapacity benefits claimants was rolled out nationally from April 2011.

Employment and Support Allowance: Parkinson's Disease

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 25 January 2016 to Question 23428, how many claimants of employment and support allowance who had a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease have been removed from the work-related activity group since 2008 because they had died.

Penny Mordaunt: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

British Home Stores: Insolvency

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2016 to Question 51499, whether he intends to meet (a) Sir Philip Green or (b) any employees of British Home Stores on arrangements for former employees' pensions.

Richard Harrington: Neither my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State nor I have met with Sir Philip Green or British Home Stores employees to discuss the pension arrangements. This is a matter for the independent Pensions Regulator, which oversees work-based pension schemes and has launched an anti-avoidance case in respect of the BHS schemes. This must be allowed to run its course, so it would be inappropriate for Ministers to meet those involved with the schemes at this time.

Child Poverty Unit

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the annual budget was of the Child Poverty Unit in each of the last five years.

Damian Hinds: The Prime Minister is clear that tackling poverty and disadvantage, and delivering real social reform, is a priority for this Government In each of the last five years the Child Poverty Unit was jointly sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Education and HM Treasury. Staff from DWP and DfE were deployed to the unit. It is not possible to provide accurate total annual budget figures for the Child Poverty Unit because we cannot disaggregate the respective amounts from larger DWP and DfE budgets within which they are included.

Social Security Benefits

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans there are to monitor the effect of the lowered benefit cap on the well-being of children affected by the lowering of that cap.

Caroline Nokes: We are committed to monitoring the impacts of our policies and to establishing the extent to which they have met their objectives and are therefore developing plans to commission an independent external evaluation of the impact of the new, lower, tiered benefit cap and the new exemptions. The evaluation will aim to better understand claimants’ behaviours and attitudes to looking for work; how local services have been affected by the change in the cap and how organisations such as local authorities are working with capped claimants. The Department will also continue to produce Official Statistics on the benefit cap on a quarterly basis allowing frequent monitoring on the number of households affected by the policy. The statistics cover:Cumulative and point-in-time statistics on the number of households capped in Great Britain, regional and local authority level by household type, number of children and amount of the benefit cap.Great Britain and regional level off-flow statistics from the benefit and by reason of the off-flow.Further breakdowns are also available by local authority and Parliamentary Constituency.

Social Security Benefits: Lone Parents

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many hours of back to work support a lone-parent with a child under one year of age affected by the change in the benefit cap will receive each week from a jobcentre work coach.

Caroline Nokes: All claimants who may be affected by the changes to the benefit cap have been offered help and support to get them into employment or move close to or further into employment. Lone parents with a child under one year of age can choose to attend a voluntary intervention with a Work Coach to discuss help and support to find employment. Work Coaches will continue to offer additional voluntary employment support to these claimants until the lone parent indicates they wish to cease engagement, or their circumstances change. There are no restrictions on the number of hours of support offered.

Social Security Benefits

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that changes to the benefit cap are compatible with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Caroline Nokes: The Government carefully considered the impact of the reduced benefit cap on children as part of the policy making process. A wide range of help and support has been put in place to assist parents, including budgeting and employment support and support with child care. Discretionary Housing Payments are also available to assist those affected by the measure. The Government has allocated a total of £870m for DHP payments for five years from 2016/17.

Social Security Benefits: Lone Parents

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many lone-parent households who will be affected by the changes in the benefit cap have a child aged (a) between 0 and two and (b) 0 and four years of age.

Caroline Nokes: It is estimated that around 20,000 lone-parent households with a child aged between 0 and two, and 37,000 lone-parent households with a child aged between 0 and four will be affected by the new lower cap.  Notes:Estimates assume no behavioural responses - any behavioural responses to the lower cap, such as claimants moving into employment, would cause the number of households affected to reduce.The number of capped households has been rounded to the nearest 1,000 householdsThe methodology used to estimate the households affected by the cap and the average reduction is based on static estimates of households affected by the cap using November 2015 data adjusted to reflect the future policy regime. This means there is a high level of uncertainty when estimating the number with young children. It is consistent with that described in the latest impact assessment published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/welfare-reform-and-work-act-impact-assessment-for-the-benefit-cap The benefit cap will be lowered from 7th November from £26,000 to £20,000, except in London where it will be lowered to £23,000 (a lower cap applies to single adult households). To help ensure Local Authorities are able to protect the most vulnerable Housing Benefit claimants and to support households adjusting to our welfare reforms, the Government will provide £870m funding for Discretionary Housing Payments over the next 5 years from 2016/17. Information about this and other measures to ease the transition for families affected by this policy change is included in the latest impact assessment at the link above.

Children: Day Care

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of whether childcare provision will be sufficient to provide for the potential change in the number of parents with pre-school age children who will move into work after the benefit cap changes;  if he will ensure that such parents  with high priority access to the Flexible Support Fund pay for the deposit and upfront fees required by childcare providers.

Caroline Nokes: The Government is committed to helping parents into a job that fits with their caring responsibilities. That is why it offers 15 hours of free childcare for the most disadvantaged 2 year olds, and all 3 and 4 year olds, worth up to £2,500 per child per year (rising to 30 hours for working parents of 3 and 4 year olds from September 2017, worth around £5,000 per year), as well as support for childcare costs through Working Tax Credits and Universal Credit. The Government is also introducing Tax-Free Childcare, worth up to £2,000 per year per child up to age 12 and up to £4,000 for disabled children aged up to 17, available to around 2 million households from early 2017. The Flexible Support Fund is available to be used by District Managers and work coaches to provide the local support that claimants may need to return to work, including additional provision to support claimants who may be impacted by the new levels of the benefit cap. This support can include upfront childcare costs, up to £175 per week for one child (up to a daily limit of £35) or £300 per week for two or more children (up to a daily limit of £60), for claimants who have found employment.

Independent Case Examiner

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 8 November 2016 to Question 51046, how many complaints have been accepted for investigation by the Independent Case Examiner's Office but not yet allocated to an investigation case manager.

Caroline Nokes: Once a complaint has been accepted for investigation, the ICE Office will consider whether a solution to the complaint can be brokered with the relevant department or its supplier without having to request evidence from the relevant department or supplier, and the complainant – know as “resolution”. If it is not possible resolve the complaint, the evidence will be requested and the case will await allocation to an Investigation Case Manager.Complaints are brought into investigation in strict date order, based on the date the complaint was accepted for examination. The number of cases awaiting allocation to an Investigation Case Manager changes from day to day, on 10th November 2016 there were 818 complaints awaiting allocation. The ICE Office will settle some of these to the satisfaction of the complainant without needing to allocate them to an Investigation Case Manager.

Universal Credit: PAYE

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what change there has been in the number of problems in PAYE Real Time information provided to his Department for the calculation of universal credit in the last six months.

Damian Hinds: HMRC pass on PAYE data from employees, reported in real time, for Universal Credit claimants. This transfer occurs 4 times a day and the link has not suffered any issues that would have affected claimants in the last 6 months.

Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence: Procurement

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times his Department has (a) terminated a contract, (b) imposed a penalty and (c) denied permission for a company to tender on the grounds of grave professional misconduct since November 2015.

Harriett Baldwin: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Death

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the last recorded death was of a member of UK military personnel while on operations.

Mike Penning: The last recorded deaths of UK military personnel while on operations were those of Flight Lieutenant Geraint Roberts and Alan Scott, who died when their Puma Mk2 Helicopter crashed in Kabul, Afghanistan, on 11 October 2015.

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effect of recent changes in the value of sterling on the adequacy of the UK budget for the F35 fighter programme.

Harriett Baldwin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 October 2016 to Question 48369 to the hon. Member for Dunfermline and West Fife (Douglas Chapman).



Ministry of Defence: Procurement
(Word Document, 15.19 KB)

Military Bases: Northern Ireland

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the contribution of the hon. Member for North Down during his statement on defence estates of 7 November 2016, Official Report, column 1290, what representations he has received on the proposed consolidation of Kinnegar Logistics Base into Palace Barracks.

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer to the contribution of the hon. Member for North Down during his statement on defence estates of 7 November 2016, Official Report, column 1290, whether there will be any job losses associated with the proposed consolidation of Kinnegar Logistics Base into Palace Barracks.

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer to the contribution of the hon. Member for North Down during his statement on defence estates of 7 November 2016, Official Report, column 1290, what the estimated cost will be of the proposed consolidation of Kinnegar Logistics Base into Palace Barracks.

Harriett Baldwin: The only representations received are the questions from the hon. Member.A 'Better Defence Estate' is principally aimed at improving the infrastructure to enable modern military capability and is based on military advice.The consolidation of Kinnegar Logistics Base into Palace Barracks is a short distance move and contributes to the intent to co-locate people and capabilities in sustainable locations around centres of mass, optimising the Army's contribution to Joint Forces 2025.There will be no job losses in relation to this announcement. The 12 military personnel based at Kinnegar Logistics Base will be relocated with their unit or re-assigned in accordance with existing career management procedures. There are no civilians on site.Detailed assessment work will now take place over the next 12 to 18 months to determine relocation costs. As the relocation is scheduled for 2022, the Department will ensure appropriate levels of engagement will now take place with the relevant local authorities.

Armed Forces: Housing

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's report, a Better Defence Estate, published in November 2016, how many homes managed by Annington are located within the disposal sites outlined in that report.

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Annington-managed residential properties within the disposal sites set out in a Better Defence Estate, published on 7 November 2016, are (a) owner occupied, (b) void units, (c) vacancies awaiting redeployments of troops and (d) temporary accommodation while properties are upgraded.

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Annington-managed residential properties within the disposal sites set out in a Better Defence Estate, published on 7 November 2016, are leased back to his Department.

Mike Penning: None of the properties are owner occupied as the properties are leased by Annington.There are 966 Annington-managed properties within the disposal sites identified in "A Better Defence Estate" all of which are leased back to the Ministry of Defence. As of 7 November 2016, 774 are occupied and 192 are currently void.The information for properties that are awaiting redeployment of troops and that are being used as temporary accommodation whilst properties are upgraded is not held.

Military Bases: Glencorse

Owen Thompson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civilian jobs are tied to the Glencorse Army Barracks.

Harriett Baldwin: There are a small number of civilian staff employed at Glencorse Army Barracks.Due to Data Protection and Disclosure policy the Ministry of Defence is unable to disclose the number of personnel at any given site when the number is lower than five.

Military Bases: Glencorse

Owen Thompson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effect of closing the Glencorse Barracks on the community local to that barracks.

Owen Thompson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what consultation took place with the local community in advance of the announcement of the closure of Glencorse Barracks.

Owen Thompson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what consultation took place with the families of Service personnel in advance of the announcement of the closure of Glencorse Barracks.

Owen Thompson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what consultation took place with Service personnel based at the Glencorse Barracks in advance of the announcement of the closure of that barracks.

Mike Penning: Better Defence Estates is a military plan to ensure that the UK's defence estate can be modernised to develop a better defence structure for Scotland and the rest of the UK. These changes will keep us all safer and more secure and save £3 billion of taxpayers' money by 2040.Ministers have acted on the advice of our military who conducted the review and Glencorse Barracks will be closed by 2032 as part of the strategy. During the next 16 years, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) will work closely with Midlothian Council and all interested parties. Given the long lead time, it will allow the Council to plan and explore ways in which the site could be best used to support the needs of the local community.Following negotiations with the Treasury, all the monies raised by the disposal of current MOD sites will be re-invested in Defence, helping support better accommodation and defence facilities for our Service men and women and their families as part of a £4 billion programme. This Government will make sure our Armed Forces have the housing and training areas a strong, modern Armed Forces need whether based in Scotland or any other part of the UK.

Type 45 Destroyers

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to improve (a) power and propulsion systems in general, (b) power and propulsion through the installation of an additional diesel generator and (c) other systems on the UK's Type 45 destroyers between now and 2025.

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what budget has been allocated for the improvement of power and propulsion systems on the Type 45 destroyers between the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review and 2025.

Harriett Baldwin: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my noble Friend the Minister of State for Defence, the Rt Hon Earl Howe to the noble Lord, Lord Campbell of Pittenweem to Question HL5630 on 8 February 2016.



Type 45 Destroyers
(Word Document, 15 KB)

Armed Forces: Housing

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many residential properties within the defence estate are owned by Annington; and how many of those properties are leased back to his Department.

Harriett Baldwin: There are 38,363 residential properties within the Defence estate that are owned by Annington Homes and leased back to the Ministry of Defence.

Armed Forces: Foreign Nationals

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of foreign armed forces have been embedded in the UK armed forces in each year since 2010.

Mike Penning: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Burma: Armed Forces

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his Burmese counterpart on respect by the Burmese military, Tatmadaw, for democratic accountability and adherence to international law and human rights.

Mike Penning: The Secretary of State has not met with his Burmese counterpart or any other members of the Burmese military (Tatmadaw.)

Armed Forces: Housing

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of how much will be spent on refurbishing Annington-managed properties located within disposal sites set out in a Better Defence Estate, published on 7 November 2016, during the planned disposal period; and whether he has made an estimate of how much Annington will be able to claim in dilapidations from his Department.

Harriett Baldwin: The amount which may be spent on refurbishing Annington properties within potential disposal sites is not yet known and is subject to further assessment.The amount Annington Homes will be able to claim from the Ministry of Defence for dilapidations is not yet known, as this cost is only determined when the properties are handed back.

Home Office

Slavery

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people who passed through the National Referral Mechanism categorised as victims of modern slavery and trafficking had no legal right of residence in the UK at the time of their passage and were potentially subject to immigration enforcement action in the event that they had not received a Reasonable Grounds decision in each year since 2009-10.

Sarah Newton: The National Crime Agency regularly publishes National Referral Mechanism data but this data does not enable us to assess how many had no right of residence in the UK and/ or were potentially subject to immigration enforcement action.

Knives: Greater London

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people under the age of 18 have been found in possession of a knife in (a) London and (b) Bethnal Green and Bow constituency in each year since 2010.

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many arrests for knife crimes have taken place in (a) London and (b) Bethnal Green and Bow in each year since 2005.

Sarah Newton: The information requested is not centrally held by the Home Office.The Office for National Statistics publish data collected by the Home Office on the number of recorded crimes of ‘possession of article with blade or point’ but this is not broken down by age. Additionally, the Home Office publishes data at the police force and Community Safety Partnership area in Open Data Tables, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-recorded-crime-open-data-tablesThe Home Office publishes arrests by each police force in England and Wales at offence group level only. It is not possible to tell from these data how many arrests related to knife crimes.

Asylum

Chris Stephens: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued to caseworkers on issuing and renewing HC2 forms for asylum seekers.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The relevant guidance for caseworkers on HC2s for asylum seekers is contained in the Healthcare Needs and Pregnancy Dispersal policy document, which is available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/healthcare-needs-and-pregnancy-dispersal-instruction

Social Services: Staff

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will add care staff to the shortage occupation list.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Tier 2, the route for skilled non-EEA workers, is reserved for graduate level occupations only. Nurses, including those working in social care, are included on the Shortage Occupation List. Care workers do not meet the minimum skills requirement for Tier 2.

Independent Inquiry Into Child Sexual Abuse

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, who from her Department was involved in the recruitment process for the appointment of Dame Lowell Goddard to the post of chair of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse; and what the names were of the people on the interview panel.

Sarah Newton: The Permanent Secretary at the Home Office advised the Home Affairs Select Committee on 18 October of the processes through which Dame Lowell Goddard was recruited.

Children: Refugees

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 24 October 2016 to Question 49457, on children: refugees, when she expects a full answer to be provided to that Question.

Mr Robert Goodwill: I refer the hon. Member the answer given to PQ 49457 on 8 November.

Human Trafficking

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of victims of human trafficking rescued in the UK in the last five years are (a) EU nationals and (b) non-EU nationals; and if she will make a statement.

Sarah Newton: Information on all potential victims of modern slavery who are identified by the National Referral Mechanism is published by the National Crime Agency on a quarterly basis. This includes the country of origin of victims and can be found here: http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/national-referral-mechanism-statistics

Home Office: Temporary Employment

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department has spent on agency workers in each of the last five years.

Sarah Newton: Since 2013/14, the Home Office has been required to publish its Contingent Labour and Agency Cost in the Annual Report and accounts, as a single figure, in a table headed ‘Contingent Labour / Agency Cost’. Copies of the Home Office’s Annual Report and Accounts for the period 2013/14 to 2015/16 can be found in the House Library. Prior to that date, there was no requirement to collect the data, and the data requested is therefore not available for 2011/12 and 2012/13.

Animal Welfare: Sentencing

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what sentences are handed down to people who commit a crime against animals that work with police officers.

Sarah Newton: The Government believes that attacks of any sort on police support animals are unacceptable and should be dealt with severely under the criminal law. This allows for penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment under some circumstances.

Entry Clearances: English Language

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to allow students involved in out-of-country appeals concerning Test of English for International Communication certificates obtained through the Educational Testing Service to attend and give oral evidence in person when those appeals are heard.

Mr Robert Goodwill: In respect of cases involving Educational Testing Service (ETS) appeals from overseas, the Court of Appeal has consistently upheld that the availability of an out of country appeal in respect of a relevant decision in an ETS case is an adequate remedy.The operation of out of country appeals is a matter for Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service but they are well established, having been in place for a number of years and successfully used for a number of different appeal types.

Visas: Overseas Students

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) safeguards and (b) procedures are in place to ensure the fair and consistent operation of the Genuine Student Rule and Tier 4 interview policy by UK Visas and Immigration officers.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Interviews are conducted with international students as part of the visa application process in order to confirm that the applicant meets the requirements of the UK immigration rules, in particular that he or she is a genuine student. Entry Clearance Officers have access to detailed guidance on how the Genuine Student Rule should be implemented with reference to the relevant sections of the immigrations rules, and guidance when interviewing may be required to support decision making.Entry Clearance Managers will conduct regular reviews on the Tier 4 decision making process and UKVI International have a specialist assurance function that reviews decision quality of PBS applications.

Visas: Overseas Students

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has issued guidance on what questions are (a) appropriate and (b) inappropriate to be asked by UK Visas and Immigration officers when conducting Tier 4 interviews in relation to the Genuine Student Rule.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Entry Clearance staff are provided with full guidance on how the Genuine Student Rule should be implemented and this includes guidance on interviewing in support of making final decisions on Points Based System Tier 4 cases.

Visas: Overseas Students

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many appeals to Tier 4 visa decisions were (a) received and (b) upheld by the appellant's country of origin in each of the last 12 months.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The information for how many appeals received and upheld for Tier 4 visa decisions in the last 12 months is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Visas: Overseas Students

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time taken for processing appeals to Tier 4 visa decisions was in the last 12 months; what targets or limits she has set in relation to processing those appeals; and on how many occasions the length of time taken in such cases prevented a successful applicant from taking up a place at a UK higher education institution by country of origin of the applicant.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The information for the average time taken for processing appeals to Tier 4 visa decisions in the last 12 months is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.The listing of an appeal is the responsibility of HM Courts & Tribunals Service and as such the targets or limits set in relation to processing those appeals are not available to the Home Office.We do not hold the information on how many occasions the length of time taken in such cases prevented a successful applicant from taking up a place at a UK higher education institution.

Immigration Controls

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the cost to travellers of the Registered Traveller scheme relative to similar schemes in other countries.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The details of the Registered Traveller Service are regularly reviewed; we remain aware of similar schemes in operation and their costs and benefits and are confident that the UK’s Registered Traveller Service offers good value for money.

Drugs: Lancashire

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what funding her Department is committing to improve community-based drugs intervention programmes in Lancashire.

Sarah Newton: Funding for drug and alcohol prevention and treatment services is devolved to local authorities through the Public Health Grant, empowering them to develop their own ways of improving public health in their local populations. Public Health England continues to support commissioners and providers to deliver effective services through a range of bespoke tools, including essential local data and information to assist their planning; evidence on the effectiveness of their local services; and advice on good practice and the benefits of investing in drug treatment and interventions.Police and Crime Commissioners are also able to commission interventions in their areas which can identify and refer individuals dependent on drugs into treatment at the earliest opportunity. They also engage with partners to influence local health spending decisions to improve offending outcomes alongside health outcomes.

Refugees: Syria

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of how many Syrian refugees are planned to be located in each local authority area in Wales under the Syrian vulnerable persons resettlement programme in 2017.

Mr Robert Goodwill: This is a voluntary scheme whereby local authorities sign up to accept refugees on a voluntary basis. We have asked authorities to think very carefully to ensure they have the infrastructure and support networks needed to deliver the appropriate care and integration of these refugees they plan to resettle. The number of people resettled in a particular period will depend on a range of factors. This includes the number of referrals we have received from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the number of confirmed places we have received from local authorities that are suitable for the specific needs of those who have been accepted for resettlement. Progress on resettlement will be reported in quarterly immigration statistics.

Refugees: Syria

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Syrian refugees located in each local authority in Wales have been resettled under the Syrian vulnerable persons resettlement programme.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Progress on resettlement in each local authority is indicated in quarterly immigration statistics. The last set of statistics, published on 25 August 2016 showed that 2,646 Syrians were relocated to the UK under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement scheme between October 2015 and June 2016 and sets out how many were located in each local authority.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the consistency of applications of the provisions in the immigration rules on the genuine student rule.

Mr Robert Goodwill: All PBS tier 4 applications are subject to assessment against paragraph 245ZV(k) of the immigration rules which state the Entry Clearance Officer must be satisfied the applicant is a genuine student.Entry Clearance Officers have access to detailed guidance on how the Genuine Student Rule should be implemented with reference to the relevant sections of the immigrations rules, and guidance when interviewing may be required to support decision making.Entry Clearance Managers will conduct regular reviews on the Tier 4 decision making process and UKVI International have a specialist assurance function that reviews decision quality of PBS applications.

Migrant Camps: Calais

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her oral statement on Calais of 24 October 2016, Official Report, columns 64-5, what discussions she has had with her (a) Belgian, (b) Dutch, (c) German and (d) Danish counterparts on ensuring that the closure of the Calais camp does not result in the displacement of migrants and refugees to ports in Belgium, Netherlands, Germany and Denmark.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The UK Government regularly shares intelligence and cooperates with our international partners to monitor and counter displacement from Calais.The UK is working extensively with international partners to tackle the people smuggling gangs who may facilitate displacement to other ports. In November 2015 the then Immigration Minister signed a joint declaration with Dutch and Belgian ministers to strengthen our joint response to the threat from organised immigration crime at northern European ports. More widely, the UK has established an Organised Immigration Taskforce that is exploiting opportunities in Europe and Africa to disrupt the crime groups involved.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to answer Question 47644, tabled on 10 October 2016 by the hon. Member for Romford; and for what reasons it has not been answered in nearly a month.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The answer to PQ 47644 was issued on 9 November, I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in providing a response.

Scotland Office

Food Banks: Scotland

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, (a) how many and (b) which food banks he has visited since becoming Secretary of State for Scotland in May 2015.

David Mundell: I have not visited a food bank in my capacity as Secretary of State for Scotland.

HM Treasury

Business: Registration

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the time taken to issue Economic Operator Registration Identification scheme numbers to non-VAT registered traders.

Jane Ellison: The current UK registration process for non-VAT registered traders to obtain an Economic Operator Registration Identification scheme number (EORI) takes on average 19 hours for the EORI number to be issued and ready for use. Applicants are advised to allow 3 working days for an EORI to be granted. This timescale is based on HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) being provided with all the information necessary on the application form and this information being validated successfully. The application form is accessed through the Gov.uk web pages, which hosts all the information related to Customs activities, and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/economic-operator-registration-and-identification-scheme-supporting-guidance. HMRC is also developing a new Customs Declaration Service which should significantly reduce the time taken to finalise an application for an EORI.

Corporation Tax

Grant Shapps: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the potential effect on the economy of replacing corporation tax with a legal persons tax based on the Estonian taxation model on profit dividends paid out.

Jane Ellison: The UK’s approach to taxing corporate profits is in line with other major advanced economies and raised £44.4 billion in 2015-16. The Government has taken significant action since 2010 to ensure the UK has a competitive and fair tax regime, including by reducing the main rate of corporation tax to 17% in 2020. The Chancellor keeps all taxes under review, which includes balancing objectives around competitiveness, simplicity, and ensuring the sustainability of the public finances.

Social Services: Pay

Paul Blomfield: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2016 to Question 50160, if he will maintain the data relating to arrears owed and paid to care workers so that the information is easily accessible to (a) other government departments and (b) the public.

Paul Blomfield: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2016 to Question 50160, if he will provide HM Revenue and Customs data on how much of the £981,514 found to be owed in arrears to social care workers between 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2016 was subsequently paid to the workers affected.

Jane Ellison: I refer the honourable Member to the answers given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 31 October 2016 (Written Question 50160), and by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 22 September 2015 (Written Question 10153).The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) receives it. Anyone who feels they have been underpaid NMW or NLW should contact the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100. HM Revenue and Customs reviews all complaints that are referred to them.

Financial Services: Euro

Stephen Timms: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of how many people in (a) Greater London and (b) the UK are directly employed in jobs related to euro-denominated clearing; and what estimate he has made of the number of those jobs which might be relocated from the UK after the UK leaves the EU.

Stephen Timms: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of how many people in (a) Greater London and (b) the UK are directly employed in the private equity sector; and what estimate he has made of the number of jobs in that sector which might be relocated from the UK after the UK leaves the EU.

Stephen Timms: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of how many people in (a) Greater London and (b) the UK are directly employed in the insurance sector; and what estimate he has made of the number of jobs in that sector which might be relocated from the UK after the UK leaves the EU.

Stephen Timms: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of how many people in (a) Greater London and (b) the UK are directly employed in investment banking; and what estimate he has made of the number of jobs in that sector which might be relocated from the UK after the UK leaves the EU.

Simon Kirby: The government is clear that financial services makes a valuable contribution to the UK economy. It is a significant employer, with over a million people working in the sector. It is difficult to quantify the exact number of jobs in each sub-sector that are based specifically in Greater London. The most recent ONS breakdown of workforce location estimates that one third of jobs in the financial services industry are based in London. We have been clear that we are committed to getting the best possible deal for trade in UK goods and services. For financial services specifically, that means recognising the importance of access to EU markets for many parts of the sector, and prioritising securing this access where it matters. In terms of clearing, I refer the honourable member to the answer given by the Chancellor during Treasury Oral questions on 25 October 2016.

Sovereign Wealth Funds

Ian Murray: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions have taken place between the Government and managers of global sovereign wealth funds since the vote for the UK to leave the EU; and if he will make available the agendas of those meetings.

Simon Kirby: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors to discuss a broad range of topics in the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

Married People: Tax Allowances

Tim Farron: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 1 November 2016 to Question 51521, on marriage tax allowances, how many couples have taken up the marriage tax allowance in each year since its introduction.

Jane Ellison: It has been possible for eligible couples to claim the Marriage Allowance since September 2015. 305,861 couples successfully claimed Marriage Allowance in 2015 and, to date, a further 763,377 couples have successfully applied in 2016. Eligible couples who haven’t claimed for the 2015/16 tax year are able to do so until 5 April 2020.

Child Care Vouchers: Extracurricular Activities

Tim Loughton: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons parents are unable to use childcare vouchers to pay for the cost of a school residential trip; and if he will amend the rules to permit parents to do so.

Mr David Gauke: Childcare vouchers can only be used to pay for qualifying childcare which is registered or approved. Vouchers can be used to pay for approved childcare on school premises, provided it is outside of school hours for children who have reached compulsory school age. School residential trips do not qualify as registered or approved childcare because they occur outside of the school premises. The government does not have any plans to extend the use of childcare vouchers. Parents in receipt of certain benefits are exempt from paying the cost of board and lodging for residential school visits.

Concentrix

Louise Haigh: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the contract between HM Revenue and Customs and Concentrix, Appendix 1, Clause G2.1A(a), whether the contractor accrued the relevant number of service points across consecutive measurement periods needed to trigger Clause G2.1A.

Louise Haigh: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the contract between HM Revenue and Customs and Concentrix, Appendix 1, Clause G4.1, whether his Department plans to recover costs incurred in relation to Clause 2.1A.

Louise Haigh: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the contract between HM Revenue and Customs and Concentrix, Appendix 2, Clause F1.4(d), whether the authority plans to undertake remedial action and impose liquidated damages at a rate of £240 per case on the contractor in relation to incorrect decisions being made.

Jane Ellison: I refer the hon. Member to today’s Written Ministerial Statement “Update on HMRC’s contract with Concentrix”.

Beer: Excise Duties

Greg Mulholland: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to maintain the current levels of beer duty for the next 12 months.

Jane Ellison: The Chancellor continues to keep all taxes under review and decisions on tax policy are made as part of the Budget process.

Companies: Registration

Roger Mullin: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which anti-money laundering supervisory body is responsible for supervising the Trust and Company Services Provider that registered Tennant Shipping LP (SL017645).

Roger Mullin: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which anti-money laundering supervisory body is responsible for supervising the Trust and Company Services Provider that registered Hansa Investment LP (SL017965).

Roger Mullin: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which anti-money laundering supervisory body is responsible for supervising the Trust and Company Services Provider that registered Intratex Sales LP (SL010150).

Roger Mullin: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which anti-money laundering supervisory body is responsible for supervising the Trust and Company Services Provider that registered Expovision Logistics LP (SL018533).

Roger Mullin: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which anti-money laundering supervisory body is responsible for (a) identifying and (b) supervising the activities of agents who register UK Limited Companies via Companies House Web Incorporation.

Roger Mullin: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which anti-money laundering supervisory body is responsible for supervising the Trust and Company Services Provider that registered Pondmarsh LLP (OC362610).

Simon Kirby: Under the Money Laundering Regulations 2007, HM Revenue and Customs supervises those Trust or Company Service Providers that do not fall under the supervision of the Financial Conduct Authority or legal or accountancy professional bodies. This includes company formation agents that register companies using Companies House web incorporation. HMRC is responsible for identifying firms that should be registered for supervision but are not. Supervisors, including HMRC, do not have access to details of all the transactions carried out by the firms supervised, and do not know which companies have been set up by specific agents.

Devolution

Diana Johnson: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many devolution proposals are currently being considered by his Department; and how many full-time equivalent staff in his Department were working on devolution in each year since 2009-10.

Mr David Gauke: The government received 38 devolution proposals from local areas by September 2015. Government has been reviewing these proposals, and negotiating devolution agreements where appropriate. The proposals received vary significantly in detail and scope, with several taking the form of an early expression of interest or statement of intent. Work on devolution issues is resourced according to business need. HM Treasury staff working on English devolution are supported by departmental spending teams and other specialist officials, the Department for Communities and Local Government’s Cities and Local Growth Unit and other government departments. There is also a standing team responsible for policy relating to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

UK Trade with EU

Dan Jarvis: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what analysis his Department has undertaken on the potential options for the future UK relationship with the single market once the UK leaves the EU subsequent to publication of the long-term economic impact of EU membership and the alternatives, Cm 9250, published in April 2016.

Mr David Gauke: Working with officials across government the Treasury continues to undertake a range of analyses to inform the UK's position for the upcoming negotiations. We have been clear that we will not provide a running commentary. We want the best outcome for Britain. That means pursuing a bespoke arrangement which gives British companies the maximum freedom to trade with and operate in the single market, and enables us to regain more control of the numbers of people who come here from Europe.

Economic Policy

Dan Jarvis: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the analysis his Department published as HM Treasury analysis: the long-term economic impact of EU membership and the alternatives, Cm 9250, published in April 2016, remains the basis for Government policy in that area; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Gauke: The analysis published in April 2016 set out HM Treasury’s assessment of the economic impact of staying in the EU. It compared this scenario to three alternatives which were based on existing models. The UK economy is unique and the Government will be pursuing a bespoke arrangement with the EU to get the best deal possible for the United Kingdom.

PAYE: Internet

Stephen Timms: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress he has made in resolving the issue published in online Pay As You Earn (PAYE): service availability and issues guidance on 14 September 2016 under the title PAYE accounts not showing the latest position.

Jane Ellison: So far 22 taxpayers have been in contact with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) about a discrepancy with the online Pay As You Earn accounts, whereby the liability and payment information held on its Head of Duty (HOD) IT system differs to the information displayed online to a taxpayer.This discrepancy has occured in some circumstances where a taxpayer has made multiple payments. While the HOD system is able to accept multiple payments, the connected system which displays the information to the customer can only acknowledge and show one payment. HMRC is developing new functionality that will be introduced by April 2017. In the meantime HMRC is providing a manual workaround for customers.

European Investment Bank

Seema Malhotra: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the possible options are for the UK's future relationship with the European Investment Bank.

Mr David Gauke: The UK is a member of the EIB through its EU membership. The UK’s future relationship with the EIB will be part of the EU exit negotiations. The government will not provide a running commentary on the options for that future relationship as it seeks the best deal for the UK.

Cabinet Office

South Yorkshire Police

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will release all Cabinet papers relating to events at Orgreave in 1984.

Ben Gummer: All Cabinet papers from this period, including all minutes of Cabinet meetings and all papers discussed by the Cabinet, were transferred to the National Archives in 2014 under the normal process for historic records. They can be downloaded from their website.

Civil Servants: Learning Disability

Kevin Hollinrake: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people in the civil service have learning disabilities.

Ben Gummer: The Civil Service is committed to becoming the UK’s most inclusive employer and therefore needs to recruit, retain and progress the very best disabled civil servants.The Civil Service publishes annual statistics, through the Office of National Statistics, on the number of disabled employees, which stood at 9.2%* in March 2016. Information on the specific nature of an employee’s disability is not collected centrally.Line managers are responsible for holding confidential discussions with their disabled colleagues to consider the impact of disability in the workplace, whether visible or non-visible, and for putting in place workplace adjustments to remove any barriers. *This figure is based on Civil Servants, who have recorded their disability status, as ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on departmental HR Systems. It is not mandatory for employees to record their disability status and employees are not asked for details of the specific nature of their disability of health condition.

EU Exit and Trade Committee

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many meetings of the EU Exit and Trade Cabinet Committee have been (a) held and (b) attended by the Secretary of State for (i) Scotland, (ii) Wales and (iii) Northern Ireland.

Ben Gummer: Information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees, including how often they have met and which Ministers have attended, is generally not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.

Drugs: Overdoses

John Mann: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have died as a result of a drug overdose in each of the last 10 years.

Chris Skidmore: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



UKSA Response to PQ 51980
(PDF Document, 122.51 KB)

Public Sector: Redundancy Pay

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many public sector workers in regional government posts received a redundancy package with a value of over £100,000 in each year since 2010.

Ben Gummer: This information is not held centrally for specific groups of workers covered by the Civil Service Compensation scheme.

Department for International Trade

Import Duties

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of the UK abolishing all tariffs after the UK has left the EU.

Greg Hands: Free trade is and will remain fundamental to the prosperity of the United Kingdom and the world economy. The historic decision of the British people to leave the European Union has created a golden opportunity for the UK to become a world leader in free and fair trade. The detail of future UK customs policy, including tariff rates, is for now contingent on negotiations with the European Union and the Government will not provide a running commentary on these negotiations.

Trade Agreements: South Africa

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will pursue a free trade deal between the UK and South Africa after the UK has left the EU.

Greg Hands: The Government is currently reviewing its trade policy as the UK prepares to leave the EU. This offers us an opportunity to forge a new role for ourselves in the world: to negotiate and design, in time, our own trade arrangements with African countries.

Trade Agreements: Africa

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans he has to pursue free trade deals with African nations after the UK has left the EU.

Greg Hands: The Government is currently reviewing its trade policy as the UK prepares to leave the EU. This offers us an opportunity to forge a new role for ourselves in the world: to negotiate and design, in time, our own trade arrangements with African countries.

Trade Agreements: Developing Countries

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, which developing nations he is planning to negotiate free trade deals with after the UK has left the EU.

Greg Hands: The Government is currently reviewing its trade policy as the UK prepares to leave the EU. This offers us an opportunity to forge a new role for ourselves in the world: to negotiate and design, in time, our own trade arrangements with developing countries.

Domestic Visits: North East

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, when he plans to visit North East England.

Greg Hands: The Department for International Trade is actively engaged in North East England. My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade has a pending visit to the North East to review the Subsea Sector, which is now being rescheduled as soon as is practicable and diary allows.There is also other Ministerial involvement pending for 2017.

Department for International Trade: Advertising

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2016 to Question 50508, if he will provide a breakdown of each specific national and international marketing campaign he refers to and the costs attributable to each of those campaigns.

Greg Hands: The Department uses marketing activity to support its domestic role to promote exporting amongst UK businesses, and overseas role to increase demand for UK goods and services from overseas buyers and to increase the amount of investment into the UK. The spend with marketing agencies since the Department’s establishment is as follows:Domestic: £536,385 spent on procured marketing services.Overseas campaigns (increase demand and increase investment). The combined spend on procured marketing services is £353,862.

Department for International Trade: Staff

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, withy reference to the response by the Minister of State for International Trade and Investment to the Oral Question of 3 November 2016, Official Report, column 1031, and pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2016 to Question 46432, how many (a) trade policy experts and (b) trade negotiators the Government currently employs; and how many such experts and negotiators it aims to employ by March 2017.

Greg Hands: The Department for International Trade already has a strong and capable trade policy team which has more than doubled in size since 23 June. Over the coming months we will be developing that team to build the world class negotiating strengths needed to deliver the best outcomes for the UK. They will have the depth and breadth of expertise to handle the full range of sectoral and cross-cutting issues that arise in trade agreements, supported by analysts and lawyers.

Trade Promotion

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2016 to Question 50357, what the timeframe is for evaluating (a) feedback and (b) the overall effect of the British House project; and when that information will be published.

Mark Garnier: Officials from the Department for International Trade are currently analysing the responses we have received from visitors to the British House. Further responses are being followed-up to ensure a comprehensive evidence base on which to draw conclusions. The impact of the House will be measured against a return of HMG’s investment (ROI) in line with National Audit Office requirements (NAO) as well as the contribution the British House has made to the GREAT Britain campaign.It is expected that a summary report for approval will be submitted to Ministers in January.

Trade Agreements

Mr Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions he has had with the Secretary-General of the World Trade Organisation on commencing work on trade agreements.

Greg Hands: In conversations with the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade has discussed our on-going membership of the WTO and the future of the multilateral trading system. Both agree that the UK has an important role to play in promoting global free trade.

Department for International Trade: Visits Abroad

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many and which countries he and his Ministers plan to visit in (a) 2016 and (b) the first three months of 2017.

Greg Hands: Since being appointed on 13th July 2016, my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade and his Ministerial team have undertaken a total of 27 overseas visits to 41 countries. Details of these visits are listed in the attached Annex.The Secretary of State and his Ministerial team will continue to engage with international partners overseas for the remainder of 2016 and early 2017 to promote British trade and investment and begin discussion on our future trading relations upon the UK exiting the EU. 



Ministerial Visits
(Word Document, 14.98 KB)

Overseas Investment: Treaties

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing into current and future bilateral investment treaties binding obligations on investors to adhere to those international human rights and environmental instruments to which the UK is a signatory.

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what progress has been made on incorporating the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights into bilateral investment treaties to which the UK is a signatory.

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans he has to incorporate the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights into future bilateral investment treaties.

Greg Hands: Until the UK leaves the EU, we will remain subject to EU trade & investment agreements and policy, of which human rights is a fundamental principle. The UK has a strong history in protecting human rights and the promotion of our values globally. We will in due course consider all options in the design of future bilateral trade and investment agreements.The updated UK National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (published May 2016) sets out our arrangements for implementing the UN Guiding Principles and our expectation that British companies should build respect for human rights into all aspects of their operations, both in the UK and overseas, and act accordingly.The objective of Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) is to provide protection to investors against unfair or discriminatory treatment. Fair, non-discriminatory and proportionate action taken by a host state, including to protect human rights, would not breach an investment protection. As such, it is unlikely that a BIT could be invoked by an investor in a way that is detrimental to human rights.

Overseas Investment: Treaties

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will take steps to ensure that Parliament has the opportunity to scrutinise all future bilateral investment treaties.

Greg Hands: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my rt hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Anna Soubry) on 29 June 2016, UIN (41073).

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Sites of Special Scientific Interest

Antoinette Sandbach: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many new sites has Natural England designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest in the last five years; and (a) what and (b) where each of those sites are.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: During the last five years (since 8 November 2011), Natural England has notified 21 wholly new sites of special scientific interest (SSSI) under section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. In that time, Natural England has also notified six new areas of land as extensions to existing SSSIs under sections 28B and 28C of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The 27 sites are listed below. Name of SSSIUnitary Authority/CountyTypeDate notifiedMount PleasantDerbyshireNew23 November 2011Hallam Barn GrasslandsDerbyshireNew23 November 2011Lower HollinsDerbyshireNew23 November 2011Wall LandsDerbyshireNew23 November 2011Bradbourne Mill MeadowsDerbyshireNew23 November 2011South Lee MeadowsDerbyshireNew23 November 2011Matley Moor MeadowsDerbyshireNew23 November 2011Lugg and Hampton MeadowsHerefordshireExtension14 December 2011Blackmore Vale Commons and MoorsDorsetExtension8 March 2012Castle Hill Deer Park and Windy PitsNorth YorkshireExtension30 March 2012Eppleton GrasslandSunderlandNew27 April 2012Benty GrangeDerbyshireNew19 June 2012High Marks BarnDevonNew6 July 2012Ives HeadLeicestershireNew16 October 2012Barrow Hill and Tansey GreenDudleyNew13 November 2012Calender MeadowsNorthamptonshireNew23 November 2012Chattenden Woods and Lodge HillMedwayExtension13 March 2013Holly Rock FieldsLeicestershireNew28 March 2013Waterfall MeadowsDerbyshireNew25 June 2013Crich ChaseDerbyshireNew15 August 2013Rampisham DownDorsetNew22 August 2013Clifton Ings and Rawcliffe MeadowsNorth YorkshireNew25 September 2013BirchesHerefordshireNew9 January 2014New Hadley BrickpitTelford & WrekinExtension22 May 2014Bushy Park and Home ParkRichmond upon ThamesNew5 September 2014Bolton Fell and Walton MossesCumbriaExtension13 March 2015Pen Park HoleCity of BristolNew4 August 2016

Crops

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what advice her Department gives to farmers on increasing yields of barley, wheat and oil-seed rape; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice: Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) Cereals and Oilseeds makes available a wide range of advice and information to farmers. This includes general guides on growing cereals and oilseeds to improve crop performance as well as advice on managing disease, weed, pests, nutrients and soil. The information is based on the results from AHDB Cereals and Oilseeds research programme and is regularly updated to ensure that the latest practical agronomic information is available to growers.

Africa: Lions

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with governments in Africa on UK support for efforts to ensure the survival of lions in the wild.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The UK is actively supporting efforts to ensure the survival of African lions in the wild and has entered into various discussions both directly and indirectly with various governments. Earlier this year Defra helped fund an African lion range country meeting held in Uganda which 28 lion range countries attended. Discussions took place about the conservation, management and restoration of the lion and its habitat in Africa and agreed a number of important messages in the final communique. The UK has taken a strong interest in the issue of hunting of lions and worked with the Member States of the European Union to develop a proposal to CITES to strengthen controls to ensure that hunting of lions is sustainable. In addition the UK chaired negotiations on lion conservation at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species Conference of Parties held in Johannesburg from 24 September to 5 October this year. This saw the trade in wild lion bones banned and the establishment of a new CITES Task Force..

Snow Leopards: Conservation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with foreign governments on UK support for efforts to ensure the survival of the snow leopard in the wild.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Defra has had no discussions with foreign governments on UK support for efforts to ensure the survival of the snow leopard in the wild. However, we have funded projects through the Darwin Initiative that have benefitted Asian big cats including the snow leopard.

Air Pollution

Jim McMahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to improve air quality in (a) Greater Manchester and (b) the UK.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Government is committed to improving air quality in the UK. Between 2010 and 2014, emissions of nitrogen oxides fell by 17 per cent. The Government has committed over £2 billion since 2011 to increase the uptake of ultra-low emission vehicles, support green transport initiatives and support local authorities to take action. The UK currently meets the legal limits for almost all pollutants. We will continue to do more, especially to reduce levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2). We are mandating five cities with the most persistent NO2 pollution problems to introduce Clean Air Zones. Other local authorities will also need to monitor progress on NO2 reduction and ensure the measures they are taking deliver results as soon as possible. All local authorities have powers to introduce Clean Air Zones should they choose to do so. We are currently consulting on a framework for Clean Air Zones which will assist local authorities in taking a consistent approach to their adoption. Alongside national action, local authorities have a crucial role to play in improving air quality in their areas. The Greater Manchester Combined Authority has declared an Air Quality Management Area to target pollution hotspots, and put in place an action plan with measures promoting sustainable transport. Since 2010 a total of £168,450 in air quality grant funding has been awarded to local authorities in the Greater Manchester area supporting projects aimed at improving air quality in the region. Defra’s Air Quality Grant fund is a bid-in scheme to support local authorities to improve air quality. Application for this year’s fund remains open until 23 November.

Food: Manufacturing Industries

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on the food manufacturing industry in the UK.

George Eustice: Food and drink is hugely important to the UK. It is our biggest manufacturing sector and a key element of our £100 billion agri-food chain. In 2015, the UK exported over £18 billion worth of food, feed and drink to more than 200 countries and territories. The joint Defra and Department for International Trade Food and Drink International Action Plan, published last month, sets out how the Government will work with the sector to champion UK food and drink overseas, break down trade barriers and open up new international markets. Since the EU Referendum, Defra has continued to meet regularly with the food manufacturing sector to listen to their views and better understand key issues for the sector about leaving the EU. We will continue to engage constructively with the sector to ensure we get the best deal for the industry that we possibly can.

Department of Health

Dental Services

Mr Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many tooth restorations using dental amalgam were carried out on the NHS in each of the last 10 years.

David Mowat: Information is not collected centrally on the number of restorations carried out on the National Health Service using dental amalgam.

Clinical Commissioning Groups: Governing Bodies

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the dates on which each clinical commissioning group's governing body's (a) regular and (b) extraordinary meetings have taken place in each of the last six months; and for each of those meetings, whether the meeting included a confidential section from which Healthwatch or the general public were excluded.

David Mowat: It is for individual clinical commissioning groups to manage regular and extraordinary meetings as appropriate for their area. The Department does not hold information on these meetings centrally.

Mental Health Services: Restraint Techniques

Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients have been injured in mental healthcare settings through the use of inadequate restraint practices in each of the last five years.

Nicola Blackwood: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Mental Health Services: Restraint Techniques

Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will consider the potential merits of introducing mandatory accreditation of restraint and seclusion training in mental health services.

Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what policies his Department has (a) in place and (b) proposed to ensure the safety of patients and practitioners when restraint is used in mental health settings.

Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that staff in the mental health sector are trained (a) in de-escalation techniques and (b) to administer the safest techniques when physically restraining service users.

Nicola Blackwood: The coalition government published ‘Positive and Proactive Care; reducing the need for restrictive interventions’ and ‘A Positive and Proactive Workforce’ in April 2014. Both guidance documents are clear that corporate training strategies to manage violence and aggression should include clear learning outcomes about effective use of de-escalation techniques, the risks associated with restrictive interventions and safe implementation of restrictive physical interventions.

Cancer: Screening

Mr Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has conducted research on the potential effect of including a reference to ovarian cancer on cervical cancer screening materials.

David Mowat: The Department and Public Health England are aware that there is research in this area to consider and are keeping abreast with developments.

Genetics: Screening

Mr Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of progress in the implementation of clinical commissioning guidelines on genetic testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations.

Mr Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether genetic centres are recording disease-specific data to ascertain whether a BRCA test has been referred from an ovarian or breast cancer diagnosis.

Mr Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department plans to issue clinical commissioning guidelines to include a timeframe for BRCA genetic testing for ovarian cancer.

Mr Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which body is responsible for collecting data to ensure that recommendation 36 of the Government's Cancer Strategy for England is being effectively implemented.

David Mowat: In July 2015, NHS England published a clinical commissioning policy to guide and expand access to BRCA testing based on updated guidelines issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The Clinical Commissioning Policy: Genetic Testing for BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 mutation, offers genetic testing to people with a 10% risk of carrying a BRCA mutation compared to the previously published 20% risk of carrying. The recording of disease specific information is usually recorded in the patient notes and on the test request form, rather than in genetic centres, and in some cases may be recorded on the patient management database at an individual testing centre but is not aggregated up into disease specific data sets. Data collection for BRCA 1 and 2 stopped in 2013 with the introduction of the Social Care Act and the restrictions on the collection and processing of personable identifiable data, however, NHS Digital (previously the Health and Social Care Information Centre) is now authorised to resume data collection on behalf of the UK Genetic Testing Network (UKGTN) for England. Data collection took place between June and July 2016 respectively for 2014/15 and 2015/16. The report is due to be available to UKGTN at the end of March 2017. However, NHS England will explore data collection on testing for lynch syndrome with UKGTN as part of their work to look at options for implementation of Recommendation 36 of the independent Cancer Taskforce report.

Accident and Emergency Departments: Alcoholic Drinks and Drugs

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people attended accident and emergency with conditions relating to drugs and alcohol by gender and age group in each of the last six years.

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people who attended accident and emergency (A&E) with conditions relating to drugs and alcohol use were re-admitted to A&E (a) within seven days or (b) in any other timeframe in each of the last six years.

Nicola Blackwood: This information is not held centrally.

Accident and Emergency Departments: Self-harm

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people attended accident and emergency due to intentional self-harm by gender and age group in each of the last six years.

Nicola Blackwood: The information in the attached table shows the number of unplanned accident and emergency attendances with a Patient Group category of Deliberate self-harm for the whole of England and for the years 2009-10 to 2014-15. This is not a count of individual patients as the same person may have attended an Emergency Department on more than one occasion.



PQ51973 table
(Excel SpreadSheet, 24.28 KB)

Accident and Emergency Departments: Mental Illness

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people attended accident and emergency with a primary diagnosis of a mental health condition by type of mental health condition, gender and age group in each of the last six years.

Nicola Blackwood: The information in the attached table shows the number of unplanned accident and emergency attendances with a primary diagnosis of psychiatric conditions by five-year age group and gender, for the whole of England and for the years 2009-10 to 2014-15. This is not a count of individual patients as the same person may have attended an Emergency Department on more than one occasion.



PQ51974 table1
(Excel SpreadSheet, 25.02 KB)

Accident and Emergency Departments: Mental Illness

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people who attended accident and emergency (A&E) (a) with a primary diagnosis of a mental health condition or (b) due to intentional self-harm were re-admitted to A&E (i) within seven days or (ii) in any other timeframe in each of the last six years.

Nicola Blackwood: The table below provides the number of patients where a primary diagnosis of a psychiatric condition or an accident and emergency (A&E) patient group of deliberate self-harm, where the patient reattended within seven days or at any time during the year, for the years 2009-10 to 2014-15. It is possible for a patient to have both a psychiatric diagnosis and self-harm recorded on the same attendance. As a result, one attendance can be recorded twice within the data below. Activity in English National Health Service Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector Primary diagnosis of a psychiatric condition and A&E patient group of deliberate self-harmYearRe-attendance within 0-7 daysRe-attendance during the yearRe-attendance within 0-7 daysRe-attendance during the year2009-103,96621,7154,31925,1682010-114,44322,5974,58925,4862011-125,52025,7164,90225,7362012-135,81425,8544,51922,6322013-147,08525,5774,85320,4192014-157,00017,4664,47812,591 Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS DigitalNotes: A&E diagnosis - psychiatric condition - Please note that the recording of the diagnosis field within the A&E data set is not mandatory. It is not known to what extent changes over time are as a result of improvements in recording practice. The diagnosis codes used are:35 = Psychiatric conditions.A&E patient group - deliberate self-harm - The A&E patient group records the reason for an A&E episode. The A&E patient group codes used are:30 = Deliberate self-harmRe-attendances within the year – Re-attendances are counted when they occur within the same financial year as the attendance that preceded it.

NHS Trusts: Governing Bodies

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for each hospital trust in England, when that trust's governing body's regular or extraordinary meetings took place in the last six months; and whether each such meeting included a confidential section from which Healthwatch or the general public were excluded.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Department does not hold information on these meetings centrally. It is for individual trusts and foundation trusts to manage regular and extraordinary meetings as appropriate for their organisation.

Pregnancy: Mental Health Services

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many perinatal mental health admissions there were in (a) Liverpool Wavertree constituency, (b) Liverpool, (c) England and (d) each region and constituent part of the UK in each year since 2009-10.

Nicola Blackwood: The information requested is in the attached table.



PQ51965 table
(Excel SpreadSheet, 23.42 KB)

Pregnancy: Mental Health Services

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which in-patient mother and baby units that specialise in caring for women during the perinatal period have opened since 2010; where such units are situated; when such units opened; and how many beds each such unit has.

Nicola Blackwood: The number and location of mother and baby units (MBUs) opened since 2010, as supplied by NHS England, are as follows: Rainbow Mother and Baby Unit, Chelmsford (new unit opened 2013) 5 beds Florence House Mother and Baby Unit, Bournemouth (new unit opened 2013) 5 beds Work is also underway to increase the number of beds in existing MBUs (that have the capacity to expand) and to create three new MBUs in areas where there is currently no provision. These areas are the South West, the East of England and the North West.

Mental Health Services

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Mental Health Five Year Forward View Dashboard, what criteria clinical commissioning groups have to meet in order to give a positive answer to the indicator on parity of esteem achieved in 2016-17 planned spend.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Mental Health Five Year Forward View Dashboard, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that clinical commissioning groups which do not give a positive answer to the indicator on parity of esteem achieved in 2016-17 planned spend make progress on achieving such parity of esteem as soon as practicable.

Nicola Blackwood: Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are required to increase their spend on mental health services by a greater amount than the growth in their allocation. A requirement to meet this mental health investment standard is included within the NHS Operational Planning and Contracting Guidance 2017 – 2019. Where a commissioner fails to invest in mental health services in line with its plan without providing adequate justification, NHS England can consider imposing directions on the CCG to increase its level of investment. To assist with this performance assessment, NHS England is embedding other data collections to help identify outcomes and prevalence indicators that can be monitored alongside financial investment levels and give a more balanced picture of mental health service commissioning. The NHS England Mental Health Five Year Forward View Dashboard will report against spend on mental health services.

Pregnancy: Mental Health Services

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many perinatal mental health specialist midwives were active in (a) Liverpool Wavertree constituency, (b) Liverpool, (c) England and (d) each region and constituent part of the UK in each year since 2009-10.

Mr Philip Dunne: The number of perinatal mental health specialist midwives is not collected.

Accident and Emergency Departments: Lancashire

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department plans to help protect from closure the accident and emergency departments of Blackburn and Preston hospitals.

Mr Philip Dunne: The provision of accident and emergency services at the Royal Blackburn Hospital, and the Royal Preston Hospital, are matters for the local National Health Service.

Fractures: Digital Technology

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with clinical bodies on the use of 3D printer technology on people with fractures.

Nicola Blackwood: There have been no recent discussions between the Department and clinical bodies on the use of 3D printer technology on people with fractures.

Prescriptions: Fees and Charges

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much additional revenue has been generated since prescription charges rose in England on 1 April 2016.

David Mowat: From April to August 2016, which are the only months in this financial year for which we have data, an additional £4.5 million in prescription charge income was collected as a result of the increase in the single charge to £8.40. Prescription prepayment certificates also raise revenue for the National Health Service. These save money for those who need many items and who are not otherwise exempt. The cost of prescription prepayment certificates was frozen this year, to protect those with the greatest need.

Vitamins: Health Hazards

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department makes available on the risks of over-consumption of vitamin supplements.

Nicola Blackwood: NHS Choices is the main source of guidance on vitamins and minerals and carries a special report from 2011 on supplements. This gives clear information about the risks of over-consumption.

NHS: Drugs

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information on the costs of (a) research and development, (b) marketing and (c) distribution his Department requires when negotiating the price of medicines.

Nicola Blackwood: The National Health Service list prices of licensed branded medicines are controlled by either the voluntary 2014 Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS) or the statutory scheme. Companies in the PPRS are not required to routinely provide such information when launching new medicines. However, the Department may request actual and forecast information relating to the United Kingdom market under these cost headings if it is deemed necessary to reach an agreement on price. Under the statutory scheme, the Secretary of State may have regard to, among other things, the cost of research into, and development of, the product for which a price is requested. All pharmaceutical companies are required to provide actual and forecast information for these cost headings if requesting a price increase on an existing medicine. The Department does not control the selling price of generic medicines; instead it relies on competition and the retained margin incentive for dispensing contractors to drive down prices, therefore this information is not required from manufacturers before placing a generic product on the market.

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 24 October 2016 to Question 49531, on World Health Organisation framework convention of tobacco control, what the nature is of the support being offered to other countries; and which countries have accepted that support.

Nicola Blackwood: The United Kingdom is providing support to low and middle income countries both through direct country support to a select number of countries and through producing training and guidance that will be available to all low and middle income countries. Country projects will be delivered through our delivery partners the World Health Organization Framework Convention for Tobacco Control secretariat and the United Nations development programme. Robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms have been put in place to ensure the project delivers maximum value for the British taxpayer.

Mental Health Services: Nurses

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many mental health nurses there are employed by the local NHS trust in Southwark.

Nicola Blackwood: NHS Digital publishes Hospital and Community Health Services data on the number of mental health nurses employed in the National Health Service in England.The data for the number of mental health nurses employed in the NHS trusts in Southwark as at 31 July 2016 are available via the following weblink:http://content.digital.nhs.uk/media/22896/Qualified-mental-health-nurses-in-specified-NHS-Trusts-in-Southwark---July-2016/xls/Qualified_mental_health_nurses_in_specified_NHS_Trusts_in_Southwark_-_July_2016.xlsx

NHS: Drugs

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect on the level of the NHS budget of changes in the prices of drugs.

Nicola Blackwood: For unbranded generic medicines the Department relies on competition in the market to keep prices down. Prices therefore reflect supply and demand and differ from one day to the other, from customer to customer and are volume dependant. Therefore, no such assessment has been made. Branded medicines are the subject of price control under the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS) and statutory scheme. Except in exceptional circumstances, the Department does not allow increases to the National Health Service list price under these schemes. Where price increases were agreed under the PPRS, the Department’s best estimate of additional cost was approximately £550,000 in 2015.

Diseases: Medical Treatments

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2016 to Question 51408, what estimate he has made of the potential increase in costs associated with long-term conditions for each year between 2016 and 2035.

David Mowat: An ageing population and increasing multimorbidity means both prevalence of long term conditions and the associated treatment costs to the National Health Service are expected to increase. The analysis and forecasts produced as part of the Department’s Long Term Condition Compendium of Information, published in 2012, are the most recent estimates in this area.

Muscular Dystrophy

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with NICE on a possible timetable for making Exon skipping therapy available to address Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Nicola Blackwood: The Exon skipping therapy eteplirsen (Exondys 51) is currently being considered for referral to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) highly specialised technologies (HST) programme. Following discussion between NICE, NHS England and the Department as part of the topic selection process, NICE recently consulted stakeholders on its suitability for the HST process.

NHS: Finance

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect on NHS inflation of recent changes in the currency exchange rate.

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect on NHS finances of recent changes in the currency exchange rate.

Mr Philip Dunne: The vast majority of income and costs of National Health Service budgets are denominated in pounds sterling. There are a number of reasons for changes in NHS costs, and, as ever, specifically identifying the impact of exchange rate changes is not routinely undertaken.

Mental Health Services

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Mental Health Five Year Forward View Dashboard, what criteria his Department used to establish the baseline for year-on-year comparative figures in the parity of esteem indicator.

Nicola Blackwood: The criteria used to establish the baseline spend for the minimum investment in mental health calculation is the previous year’s spend on mental health. The NHS England Mental Health Five Year Forward View Dashboard will report against spend on mental health services.

Mental Health: Prisoners

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the implications for his policy are of the Centre for Mental Health and the Howard League's report Preventing Prison Suicide: Perspectives from the inside; and if he will make a statement.

Nicola Blackwood: We welcome the Centre for Mental Health and the Howard League’s report and are committed to reducing the number of self-inflicted deaths in prisons. It is important that our work is informed by the views of prisoners and this report is informing the work that the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) is taking forward in partnership with NHS England and Public Health England (PHE) to reduce self-inflicted deaths and self-harm. NOMS, PHE and NHS England are taking forward collaborative evidence-based action to reduce self-inflicted deaths in prison. PHE has supported this work by providing evidence and expertise on suicide prevention and how to apply this in prison environments. This includes education and training for prison officers; identification of ‘high risk’ prisoners and high risk situations; improving the environment in prisons including ‘purposeful activity’ and a whole prison approach to health improvement generally. These actions correspond to many of the key recommendations in the Centre for Mental Health and the Howard League’s report.

Secure Psychiatric Units

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) proportion and (b) number of people is in secure mental health units in England who are clinically ready to be discharged but are still in a unit; and in each case, what the reasons are for the delay in discharge of such people in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nicola Blackwood: The data is not available in the format requested.

Prisons: Mental Health Services

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much mental health funding there has been per prisoner in the last 10 years.

Nicola Blackwood: The information requested is not held centrally in the format requested.

Department of Health: Staff

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that employers provide a working environment which is conducive to the good mental health of their employees.

Nicola Blackwood: Employers already have to take certain actions to comply with health and safety and equality laws, but it is also important to build healthy, inclusive workplaces. Government supports them to do so through schemes such as Access to Work, which supports the disability-related needs of individuals in the workplace; and Fit for Work, which provides a free, expert, impartial work and health advice service for employers, and a targeted occupational health assessment for employees who are off sick for four weeks or more.

Public Sector: Redundancy Pay

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many public sector workers in NHS posts received a redundancy package with a value of over £100,000 in each year since 2010.

Mr Philip Dunne: This information is not held centrally.

Colchester Hospital

Mr Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the efficacy of special measures at Colchester General Hospital.

Mr Philip Dunne: Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust has been receiving support from NHS Improvement to address specific issues at the Trust since entering Special Measures in November 2013. In April 2016, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and NHS Improvement agreed that partnership arrangements with Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust would be put in place to support improvement. The Chair and Chief Executive of Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust have assumed a dual role across both Trusts and have key staff working across the two organisations. Recent actions include the development of a Trust Turnaround programme (the ‘Every Patient Every Day’ programme). A multi-stakeholder Programme Oversight Committee, chaired by NHS Improvement and including the CQC has been established from July 2016, to monitor progress against an agreed set of Key Performance Indicators. Efficacy of the support arrangements will be assessed by the CQC when it re-inspects in due course.

Diabetes

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many incidences of hypoglycaemia were recorded in (a) England and (b) each clinical commissioning group in 2015.

Nicola Blackwood: The attached table gives a count of finished admission episodes with a primary diagnosis of hypoglycaemia for England and each clinical commissioning group of treatment for 2015/16. However, only the most severe cases will be hospitalised and therefore this is not a count of the number of incidents in England, but the number of hospitalisations.



PQ52284 table
(Excel SpreadSheet, 25.45 KB)

General Practitioners

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2016 to Question 47387, on general practitioners: insurance, (a) how and (b) for what reasons the behaviour of patients has changed in recent years.

Mr Philip Dunne: Evidence suggests that patient behaviour in relation to litigation has undergone a number of changes in recent years. The medical defence organisations operating in England, and the NHS Litigation Authority all report an increase in the number of patients claiming compensation as a proportion of reported incidents, and also an increase in low value claims. This increased likelihood to make a claim is a common trend across the insurance sector (for example the number of motor accidents is decreasing but the number of claims for injury in a motor accident is increasing). This may be due to greater awareness amongst patients of their legal rights and entitlements, or to the fact that claimants are now able to fund litigation through Conditional Fee Agreements or ‘no win no fee’ agreements. This is underpinned by After the Event (ATE) insurance which enables claimants to insure against the cost of being unsuccessful. ATE became widely available in 2008 and coincided with a significant rise in claims numbers. There are also a growing numbers of claims companies entering the medical litigation market and advertising their services to patients. This market is notably more aggressive in England compared to other countries, and this could be a factor in the behaviour of patients who are making claims. The increase in volume of claims has not corresponded with an increase in successful outcomes. The proportion of cases closed by medical defence organisations with no payment made to the claimant has increased from 70% to 80% in recent years.

Doctors: Migrant Workers

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for the Medical Training Initiative of the UK leaving the EU.

Mr Philip Dunne: The implications for the Medical Training Initiative will be unknown until negotiations for the United Kingdom to exit the European Union are concluded.

Mental Health Services: Greater Manchester

Jim McMahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent from the public purse on mental health awareness services in Greater Manchester in each year from 2006 to date.

Nicola Blackwood: The information requested is not collected centrally.

NHS

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many officials of his Department are working on assessing the implications for the NHS of the UK leaving the EU.

David Mowat: The Department for Exiting the European Union has responsibility for overseeing preparations for the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union and conducting the withdrawal negotiations in support of the Prime Minister. In doing this it is working very closely with other Government departments including the Department of Health. The Department has created an Exiting the EU team which is responsible for coordinating the work of the Department as the UK leaves the EU. All policy teams within the Department are involved with this work in assessing the implications of the UK leaving the EU on their area.

NHS: Sustainable Development

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many officials of his Department are working on NHS sustainability and transformation plans.

David Mowat: Sustainability and Transformation Plans are local plans, which are being developed by leaders within the 44 national footprints with support from NHS England. Officials across the Department are working closely with NHS England throughout the planning process.

Vaccination

Ms Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether it is planned that the review by the Cost Effectiveness Methodology for Immunisation Policy and Procurement working group into the cost effectiveness framework by which vaccines are assessed will consider peace of mind analysis.

Ms Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the expected publication date is for the report by Cost Effectiveness Methodology for Immunisation Policy and Procurement Working Group on the cost effectiveness framework by which vaccines are assessed.

Nicola Blackwood: The Cost Effectiveness Methodology for Immunisation Programmes and Procurements (CEMIPP) working group has finished its work. The timetable for publishing its report has not yet been confirmed. As stated by Professor John Cairns, Chair of the CEMIPP working group, during the Petitions Committee evidence session on 22 March 2016, ‘peace of mind’ was part of the working group’s discussions.

Social Services: Finance

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the aggregated total budgeted by local authorities in England for adult social care was in 2015-16; what the aggregated actual amount spent on adult social care was in that year; and if he will make a statement.

David Mowat: The Government continues to view adult social care as a key priority, and is giving local authorities access to up to £3.5 billion additional funding for adult social care by 2019/20. Data published by the Department for Communities and Local Government on 15 July 2015 shows that in 2015-16, local authorities budgeted to spend £14.081 billion on adult social care[1]. Provisional outturn data published by the Department for Communities and Local Government on 25 August 2016 shows local authorities spent £14.394 billion on adult social care in 2015-16[2]. This data is provisional, and we expect final data on local authority spend to be published on 17 November. [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing-england-2015-to-2016-budget[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing-england-2015-to-2016-provisional-outturn

Mental Health Services: Prisoners

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure the efficient and timely transfer of prisoners to hospitals under the Mental Health Act 1983; and how many prisoners have waited for more than 14 days for such a transfer in each of the last five years.

Nicola Blackwood: Departmental guidance was published in 2011 on best practice to achieve urgent transfers within 14 days. NHS England continues to work with prison healthcare and secure mental health providers to improve processes so that this can be achieved. Data on prisoner transfer waiting times was not held centrally prior to April 2015. Since then, NHS England has collected data from Health and Justice Indicators of Performance at a national level. Information from NHS England states that in the financial year 2015/16 there were 412 reported transfers where the waiting time was less than 14 days, and 1,141 reported transfers where the waiting time was longer than 14 days. An individual prisoner may have undergone more than one transfer in this time period.

Mental Health Services: Finance

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to reinstate the annual survey of mental health spending.

Nicola Blackwood: This survey was discontinued by the Department in 2013 when responsibility for monitoring health spending passed from the Department to NHS England. NHS England is not planning to reinstate the annual survey of mental health spending but is addressing its commitment to report publicly on mental health spend alongside other operational data via the Mental Health Five Year Forward View Dashboard, which can be found here:https://www.england.nhs.uk/mentalhealth/taskforce/imp/mh-dashboard/

Meningitis: Vaccination

Ms Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has allocated resources to support research into the role vaccination of adolescents can play in protecting the wider population from bacterial meningitis.

Nicola Blackwood: The Department’s Policy Research Programme (PRP) is currently funding a preliminary study of the meningococcal strains carried by teenagers. The Government has committed to commission a study of the effect of group B meningococcal disease (MenB) vaccination on carriage in that group, which will be funded through the PRP.

Mental Health Services

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether it is NHS England's policy to classify screening, rather than a full psychological assessment, in the IAPT process.

Nicola Blackwood: Initial contact with the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme involves assessment in conjunction with discussion between the patient and the Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner or High Intensity Therapist in order to design an effective treatment programme and agree interventions. Different types of assessment are used depending on the needs of the patient.

Breastfeeding

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department has spent on peer support for breastfeeding in each year since 2010.

Nicola Blackwood: Currently, support and information is available to health professionals and parents through the NHS Choices website under the Start4Life banner, the National Breastfeeding Helpline, UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative and local peer support programmes. In 2014 the Department provided £30,000 to UNICEF UK, to support the establishment of the National Infant Feeding Network. The network shares and promotes evidence-based practice around infant feeding and very early childhood development to deliver optimum health and wellbeing outcomes for mothers and babies.

Community Hospitals: Dorset

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many community hospital beds are currently available in Dorset; and for which locations are there plans to increase the number of community beds available to patients in South East Dorset.

David Mowat: NHS England advises that there are currently 357 community hospital beds in Dorset. Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group is proposing under its current Clinical Services Review to provide an additional 69 community beds, increasing numbers in the east of the county and reducing numbers in the west. The proposals are based on projected local demand and any changes will be subject to full public consultation.

Community Hospitals: Dorset

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients attended to by the South West Ambulance Service in Dorset received direct admission to a community hospital in the last year for which figures are available.

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of the patients attended to by the South West Ambulance Service are referred to hospital emergency departments; and what proportion of patients are so referred by ambulance services in (a) North West England and (b) London.

Mr Philip Dunne: Information about direct admissions to community hospitals following conveyance by ambulance is not held centrally.

Women and Equalities

Equal Pay: STEM Subjects

Julie Elliott: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to reduce the gender pay gap in the STEM sector.

Caroline Dinenage: Focussing on the STEM sector is vital to meeting our commitment to eliminate the Gender Pay Gap in a generation. That is why we are supporting girls to choose STEM subjects and careers by improving the quality of teaching of STEM subjects, providing support to schools to increase the proportion of girls’ A-level entries in maths and science, and raising awareness of STEM careers. The Women’s Business Council has an action group focussing on how to bring more women into STEM industries.